Tampa Bay’s league-leading bunting attack has become a major part of its identity as the Rays move within one win of the ALCS.
The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Yankees 1-0 in Game 1 of the ALDS behind dominant pitching from Drew Rasmussen. Jonathan Aranda supplied the only run with a solo home run off Gerrit Cole.
The Rays led 1-0 in the seventh inning of a Sept. 22 regular-season game when they had runners on first and third with one out. Shortstop Taylor Walls executed a perfect bunt between the mound and first base that allowed the runner on third to score. The play showed how the Rays often rely on small plays to gain an edge in games according to ESPN.
Manager Kevin Cash said the team had done this kind of thing many times during the season. The Rays bunted more than any other team in the league this year. They attempted 129 bunts during the season and finished far ahead of the second-place Brewers with 89.
The Rays had the most bunt hits in the league with 49 and finished 17 ahead of the Brewers. Speedy left fielder Chandler Simpson had 14 bunt hits in 26 attempts this season. Center fielder Cedric Mullins also showed strong bunting ability with 12 hits in 14 tries.
Taylor Walls contributed 11 bunt hits in 19 attempts during the season. Cash said the team didn’t plan to focus more on bunting at the start of the season. He added that they realized during spring training they had speed and could use it as a weapon.
The Rays practice bunting every day at home and have made it part of their regular routine.
Chandler Simpson said the team chats about bunting often in batting practice. Walls explained that teams often adjust their defense against the Rays because of how often they bunt. Brady Williams said bunting makes the game more interesting and puts pressure on the defense.
The Rays also have strong pitching and a solid defense which helps them win games in different ways. They had the fewest strikeouts among all teams this season and their pitchers walked the fewest batters among all teams. Only two other teams since 1950 accomplished both of these feats: the 2006 Minnesota Twins and 1986 Boston Red Sox.
The Rays’ ability to win without relying on home runs sets them apart in today’s game. In Game 1 the Yankees managed only one hit against Tampa Bay’s pitching staff. The game took place in St. Petersburg Florida on Saturday.
The New York Yankees are now down 0-2 in the best-of-five series and must avoid another loss.
The Cleveland Guardians also faced a similar challenge after losing Game 1 to the Chicago White Sox. Chicago used five pitchers in their shutout victory and allowed only three hits. The Guardians had won the AL Central by just one game over Chicago during the regular season.
The White Sox won again in Game 2 and will return home with two opportunities to eliminate their rival. The New York Yankees are now facing a tough test in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays. Both series could end in Game 3 on Wednesday.
Drew Rasmussen was the pitcher who blanked the Yankees offense in Game 1. Despite not having a dominant offensive showing the Yankees still received a strong performance from starter Gerrit Cole. The Rays’ success in Game 1 was partly due to their ability to limit the Yankees’ offensive opportunities.
Cam Schlittler started Game 2 for the Yankees while Freddy Peralta started for Tampa Bay. The Rays won 5-2 after taking advantage of four New York errors and a four-run fifth inning. Tampa Bay’s pitching staff has been effective at keeping opponents from scoring runs.
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