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.
TORONTO -- The thing that makes Chandler Simpson special is not just the way he hits or the way he runs. Yes, he’s arguably the fastest man in baseball, he strikes out less than almost anyone, and he can change a game with either skill.
But when Simpson is at his best, his secret weapon is chaos. He makes opposing defenders uncomfortable, leading to uncharacteristic mistakes. His reputation can help him wreak havoc before his bat and legs even get the chance.
“I hope so,” Simpson said. “I hope that my presence is felt at the plate where anything can happen and they have to rush and there’s a mindset that they have to have … that I can get on base any way and I can create a run any way.”
That happened at two key points Saturday evening at Fenway Park, although Simpson’s contributions were overshadowed by the Rays’ inability to hold a late-inning lead in a 7-6 loss. It was the kind of performance that exemplifies how Simpson’s unique skillset can change a game, making him an X-factor for their lineup the rest of the way, and a good illustration of the way he’s gotten his season back on track.
Simpson entered Monday night’s series opener at Rogers Centre having hit safely in 19 of his last 23 games, batting .349 with nine steals during that span. This hot stretch has raised his average from a season-low .259 back to .282, and he had as many extra-base hits during that run as he did in his first 69 games of the season combined.
“A little bit more line-drive-oriented,” manager Kevin Cash said. “Certainly, the ball on the ground puts a lot of pressure on the defense. He had a patch where pitchers were making it a little tougher and they were elevating some pitches to him, and he was hitting more fly balls. That's not his game. … Really like his approach right now.”
Look back to Saturday for the clearest example of the impact he can have. His speed forced the Red Sox to make a pair of errors that ultimately led to three runs against the hottest team in baseball.
The first instance took place in the second inning. Ryan Vilade led off with a double to left field against Red Sox starter Patrick Sandoval, then Boston’s infielders prepared for an expected bunt from Simpson. By the time Sandoval released a 2-0 pitch, first baseman Willson Contreras had moved so far in that he was practically within arm’s reach of Simpson in the batter’s box.
Thinking Contreras was close enough to pick up a bunt no matter where he dropped it, and recognizing the opportunity created by his aggressive alignment, Simpson pulled back his bunt and slashed a chopper that second baseman Anthony Seigler dove to stop. Contreras lost the race back to first base, and Seigler’s throw sailed behind him anyway.
“I saw [Contreras] kind of charging in, kind of felt him in the corner of my eye,” Simpson said. “So, I thought it was a good time to reach in my toolbox, grab a slash out and see if it worked." And thankfully, it worked.
That allowed Vilade to score, and Simpson advanced to second on the error, putting him in position to subsequently score on Nick Fortes’ two-out single.
Simpson struck again to tie the game in the fourth. He started the inning with a leadoff double off the Green Monster, then hustled to swipe third, his 23rd steal of the season. Catcher Carlos Narváez’s throw was late and well over Caleb Durbin’s head, so Simpson could easily trot to the plate to score the tying run.
“The second he’s on base, all heck breaks loose,” starter Drew Rasmussen said. “It’s great to watch.”
The Rays could still use another hitter ahead of the Trade Deadline to give their big three top-of-the-order bats more support, with the potential to upgrade at second base, catcher or in the outfield. But keeping Simpson at the top of his game is critical, too, because nobody creates chaos quite like him.
“I feel like that's just part of what makes the Rays the team that we are,” Simpson said. “We can win with the longball as well, but just any other way -- like where you can move a guy over, get a runner in, cause some chaos on the basepaths, move the defense around and create runs that way as well -- to help our big bats score runs.”