MILWAUKEE -- After waiting 972 days between Major League starts, Shane McClanahan was back in every way Tuesday night. On the mound, he was poised and in control. His four-pitch mix was on point. He was anxious and excited, sure, as you would expect him to be before his first

MILWAUKEE -- The Rays’ return to Tropicana Field is less than a week away, and the club is offering fans a few ways to get back inside their home ballpark. First, “Rays Rush” tickets are returning for home games this season, including next Monday’s re-opener against the Cubs. Rays Rush

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MILWAUKEE -- The Rays have a lot of people to thank for their 3-2 win over the Brewers on Monday night at American Family Field. You could start with starter Nick Martinez, who offered yet another reminder that Spring Training stats don’t matter by attacking a hot-hitting Brewers lineup and

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for March 31. 1) Mule Suttles (1901) The only Hall of Fame player born on the final day of March,

This year will bring a new way to watch Rays baseball. The Rays announced on Feb. 2 that their local television broadcasts will be produced and distributed by Major League Baseball, starting this season. Subscriptions to Rays.TV presented by Union Home Mortgage, the new direct-to-consumer streaming platform for in-market games,

ST. LOUIS -- About a month ago, Rays hitting coach Chad Mottola told manager Kevin Cash that Yandy Díaz came into camp looking “the best he has looked that he can recall at this time of year.” What happens in Spring Training often stays in Spring Training, but apparently that

ST. LOUIS -- Nick Martinez did a lot of things well this spring, quickly developing a relationship with manager Kevin Cash and pitching coach Kyle Snyder and immediately establishing himself as a popular, highly respected teammate. But his performance in four Spring Training starts was not good, and he was

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for March 30: 1) Chris Sale (1989) The lanky left-hander with a funky delivery quickly made it to the Majors,

ST. LOUIS -- The circumstances were different on Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium, but the frustrating outcome was the same for Griffin Jax. Two games into the season, Jax -- arguably the club’s top high-leverage reliever -- has inherited a pair of one-run leads in critical situations and given up

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ST. LOUIS -- Sitting in the visitors’ dugout at Busch Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, watching the Rays work out ahead of their Opening Day matchup with the Cardinals, president of baseball operations Erik Neander acknowledged the preseason projections and prognostications that give Tampa Bay little to no chance to compete

Thursday’s Opening Day matchup at Busch Stadium will mark the beginning of a new era for both the Rays and Cardinals. For Tampa Bay, it is the start of a new season under new ownership after two decades with Stuart Sternberg at the helm. The group of players that lines

ST. LOUIS -- Shane McClanahan was nearing the end of his second and final simulated inning Wednesday afternoon at Busch Stadium, the final step in his journey back to the Rays’ rotation, when Ben Williamson stung a line drive straight up the middle. The ball caromed off McClanahan’s backside, and

ST. LOUIS -- The Rays had plenty of plans in place as to how their Opening Day roster might shake out. Fortunately, they had plenty of backup plans, too. After a relatively healthy Spring Training, a handful of late injuries forced Tampa Bay to adjust on the fly as the

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- The Rays reported to CoolToday Park on Tuesday morning for their Spring Training finale against the Braves with all of their Opening Day roster questions answered. Some decisions were expected, like top prospect Carson Williams becoming the regular shortstop to begin the season. Others came as

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CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Nearing the end of what had been a relatively healthy Spring Training, the Rays have lost their projected starting middle infield to injuries. Second baseman Gavin Lux will begin the season on the 10-day injured list due to a right shoulder impingement, manager Kevin Cash said Monday

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Most years, the Rays wrap up Spring Training with a few workouts and an exhibition game at Tropicana Field. It’s a good way to break camp, get the players settled in at home and reacclimated to their ballpark before the games that count get underway. That isn’t

Finally, we can see the finish line. Which is, of course, the starting line. Spring Training has nearly come to an end, and Opening Day is so close we can almost see the bunting. (The decorations, not the small-ball strategy.) There hasn’t been a ton of drama in what figures

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The Rays’ Opening Day roster is not yet set, but it is coming into clearer focus. After they optioned infielder/outfielder Richie Palacios, outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and right-hander Joe Boyle to Triple-A Durham on Friday, the Rays informed infielder/outfielder Ryan Vilade that he will make the team.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Chandler Simpson: fastest man in baseball and … home run hitter? OK, maybe not, but the Rays speedster can now say that he has hit a home run in a Major League uniform.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Nobody wanted to bring it up, but Shane McClanahan thought about it on Friday afternoon. It was almost exactly a year ago that McClanahan scaled the mound at Charlotte Sports Park to face the Red Sox in his final start of Spring Training. That was March

The first-ever Opening Day matchup between the Rays and Cardinals will also feature a pair of first-time Opening Day starters. Right-hander Drew Rasmussen is slated to pitch for Tampa Bay in the franchise’s 29th Opening Day matchup. Meanwhile, left-hander Matthew Liberatore will take the ball for St. Louis as the

This story was excerpted from Adam Berry’s Rays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.