The New What Next: Rays Start Symbolic Second Half in Toronto, A Series Preview of Sorts

The Blue Jays were the hottest team in baseball the last time Tampa Bay faced Toronto. Tampa Bay snapped their 11 game winning streak in that series, effectively relegating the Blue Jays to the cellar of the AL East, and consequently harkening the start of a 20 game stretch where the Rays went 16-4, leading up to the All-Star Break. The Rays will try to continue their toasty ways with a deadly trio of hurlers on the mound — David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, and Chris Archer. The Rays are 7-1 when Price, Hellickson, or Archer has taken the mound since Price’s return from the DL, at the beginning of July.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Moore, Rays Win Second Consecutive Game 5-1

The Rays took the second game of a three game set against the Blue Jays Tuesday, on a very stormy night in St. Petersburg. With the sound of thunder echoing inside a 2/3 empty Tropicana Field, the Rays — led by Matt Moore — lowered a 5-1 boom of their own on the hottest team in baseball, scoring runs in the second, fourth, and seventh innings, while stifling a Blue Jays team who could get runners on, but couldn’t get them over and home.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays, Hellickson Snap Jays 11-Game Winning Streak

Jeremy Hellickson worked into the seventh inning for the first time since May 22nd, in the Rays 4-1 handling of the Toronto Blue Jays Monday night, snapping Toronto’s 11-game winning streak. Don’t look now, but the Rays are starting to look toasty once more. Not only have they strung together back-to-back victories, they’ve also won four out-of-their last six games. The game also went down in the annals of Rays history and lore, after James Loney, Wil Myers, and Sam Fuld hit back-to-back-to-back solo shots for the first time ever in the Trop. More on the game below, in a segment that we like to call The Good, The Bad, and The Argyle: A Bulleted Summary of the Game.

The New What Next: Rays Return to the Trop to Face the Blue Jays

It would be safe to say that Chris Archer needed a win Sunday. His last few starts — sandwiched between an excellent start against the Orioles on the seventh — left a lot to be desired. Archer seemed to be a bit over amped, and hadn’t been nearly as efficient as most knew he could, and should, have been. Archer quelled the fears of many a Rays fan Sunday, putting together an excellent 6 IP/6 H/1 R/1 ER/1 BB/4 K outing, leading the charge in a 3-1 victory against the Yankees. The Rays will use the accrued momentum when they return to the Trop Monday to take on the charging Toronto Blue Jays.