Rays Roll to Sixth Straight Win, Open Five Game AL East Lead With 10-1 Rout of Athletics

Tampa Bay Continues Surge Toward First AL East Title Since 2021

The Tampa Bay Rays continued their push toward an American League East title Thursday, rolling past the Athletics 10-1 for their sixth consecutive victory and opening a five game lead over the second-place New York Yankees.

Drew Rasmussen pitched five scoreless innings, while Liam Hicks, Chandler Simpson, Richie Palacios and Taylor Walls each drove in two runs as the AL-best Rays improved to 93-59. Tampa Bay has now won 10 of its last 12 games and 16 of its last 23, moving 34 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2023 season.

The Rays are already assured of at least a wild-card berth and are closing in on their first AL East championship since 2021. Tampa Bay has 10 games remaining, including a critical four-game series against the Yankees next week.

Simpson Sparks Six-Run Fourth

The Rays broke the game open in the fourth inning when Simpson delivered a go ahead two-run single as part of a six-run outburst. Tampa Bay finished with 10 runs and took all three games of the series from the Athletics, earning its 16th series sweep of the season.

That ties the Rays for the most series sweeps by a team since the 2022 Los Angeles Dodgers also recorded 16. Simpson continued his outstanding season at the plate, collecting two hits to raise his batting average to an AL-best .311. He also stole two bases, bringing his league-leading total to 44.

Rasmussen Extends Remarkable Winning Streak

Rasmussen improved to 15-5 after allowing four hits and two walks over five scoreless innings. He repeatedly worked out of trouble, stranding runners in scoring position in both the third and fifth innings.

The Rays have now won Rasmussen’s last 11 starts, the longest streak by a team behind an American League pitcher coming out of the All-Star break since Johan Santana’s Minnesota Twins won 12 consecutive starts in 2006.

Former Rays pitcher Jeffrey Springs struggled against his old club, allowing six runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings. Springs has gone 1-14 in his last 24 starts after opening the season 3-0 in his first four outings.

Athletics Get Lone Run From Butler

The Athletics avoided a shutout when Lawrence Butler collected two hits and launched a solo home run in the sixth inning off Tampa Bay reliever Casey Legumina. Oakland also used its 60th player of the season when reliever Joe Rock entered the game, underscoring the significant roster turnover the Athletics have experienced throughout the year.

Rays Eye AL East Finish

With only 10 games remaining, Tampa Bay has positioned itself firmly atop the AL East. The Rays’ next major test comes next week when they travel to New York for four games against the Yankees. Before that series, Tampa Bay will begin a three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox on Friday. Ian Seymour is scheduled to start for the Rays against Boston left-hander Ranger Suárez.

The Athletics, meanwhile, open a three game series Friday at Cleveland. Daniel Espino is scheduled to start for Oakland, while Cleveland will look to continue its own push as the regular season enters its final stretch.

Friday Games for the Rays and Athletics

Athletics: RHP Daniel Espino (0-0, 2.92 ERA) starts Friday at Cleveland in the opener of a three game series. Rays: LHP Ian Seymour (9-6, 4.27 ERA) starts Friday at home against Boston, with LHP Ranger Suárez (7-4, 3.33 ERA) scheduled for the Red Sox.