Tampa Bay Rays Improve Stock After Climbing Back to .500
The Tampa Bay Rays came out of the game hot with a 4-2 record through their first two series of the year. That all came crashing down soon after, however, with two separate four-game losing streaks.
Those struggles may be a thing of the past for the Rays, who enter Tuesday on a five-game winning streak, riding high after sweeping the San Diego Padres over the weekend.
The recent run of success has seen the team's stock steadily rise. Now back at .500 with a 14-14 record, the Athletic ranked Tampa Bay as the 16th best team in MLB, after placing only 20th last week.
Advertisement
"The one player in baseball putting his barrel on the ball at a higher rate than Judge?" writes Tim Britton. "That would be Morel, whose ability to square the ball up has kept him a viable big-league hitter despite a strikeout rate above 40 percent. While Morel needs to keep hitting the ball this hard when he does make contact, the rewards for doing so should increase. Just three of his 11 barrels have left the yard; over the past two seasons, more than half of his barrels went for homers."
The Rays' third baseman does not lack for power, it has just not shown up as expected to this point in the season. Christopher Morel has 66 career home runs across 1,552 plate appearances and has hit them at a 4.3 percent clip throughout his career. This year, that home run rate sits at "only" 3.4 percent.
For what it is worth, this is the same home run rate he finished the 2024 campaign with across his time with the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays. But with his ability to put the barrel on the ball with ease, you still expect many more home runs to come from Morel.
Once the balls Morel barrels begin to leave the yard at a higher rate than they have to this point, the Rays could be off to the races. The American League East is more open for the taking than people think, and the climb back to .500 could be just the beginning for this young squad.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
26 minutes ago
- New York Times
RB Nick Chubb signs with Texans on 1-year deal: How he expands Houston's backfield
By Dianna Russini, Zac Jackson, Adam Coleman and Zach Powell Former Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb, who was a free agent, signed with the Houston Texans on Tuesday, the team announced. The contract, which was contingent on Chubb passing a physical on Monday, is a one-year deal worth at least $2.5 million and up to $5 million, according to league sources. Chubb received more lucrative offers from other teams, but he would sign a more incentive-laden contract to join Joe Mixon in Houston's backfield. Chubb, 29, was sidelined for much of the last two seasons due to knee and foot injuries. Welcome to H-Town, Nick Chubb‼️ — Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) June 9, 2025 Houston will be just the second team Chubb has played for in his seven seasons. A second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Georgia, Chubb has impacted the Browns' ground game since his rookie season. The four-time Pro Bowler rushed for 996 yards in his first season, followed by four straight seasons of 1,000-plus yards. Advertisement Chubb's 2023 season was cut short by a serious knee injury in Week 2. He returned in Week 7 of the 2024 season, but would wind up missing the final three games that season with a broken foot. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 84.5 yards per game in his first five seasons, and 3.9 yards per carry and 50.2 yards per game in the past two seasons. The injuries are a concern, of course, but Chubb on an incentive-laden one-year deal in a reserve role seems like a good bet for the Texans to make. A healthy backfield of Mixon and Chubb only helps quarterback CJ Stroud and new offensive coordinator Nick Caley. This is suddenly an interesting running back room, too. The Texans just used a fourth-round pick on USC running back Woody Marks to spell the hard-nosed Mixon, who dealt with injuries of his own last season. Then, there is Dameon Pierce, who could be on the bubble. He had an outstanding rookie season in 2022 but has since lost his way. How it all shakes out in camp and during the preseason will be interesting. — Adam Coleman, NFL staff editor The 2024 version of Chubb was not the same version we'd seen before. And though his departure from Cleveland becoming close to official stings the team's fans, the Browns had moved on, and had to. Chubb's gruesome injury in September 2023 in Pittsburgh marked the unofficial end to an incredible marriage of team and low-maintenance superstar that began early in Chubb's rookie season of 2018. Chubb almost always got the tough yards, almost always made the proper play and always wanted the ball without having to say it or post about it. It's hard to tell what the Texans are getting in Chubb now, six months from his 30th birthday, but it seems a smart bet for a Houston team that plans to return to the playoffs. Advertisement Chubb seemed to gain confidence and quickness last season before that broken foot derailed his comeback. If he can still serve as a between-the-tackles runner who brings physicality even without that extra gear, he can still be a useful and productive player. The Browns drafted two running backs and are smartly moving towards their future, but Chubb's presence and playmaking will never be forgotten. — Zac Jackson, Browns beat writer
CBS News
29 minutes ago
- CBS News
Upper Darby High School graduate follows in brother's footsteps to academic success
An Upper Darby High School graduate, inspired by her big brother, is getting recognition for her academic accomplishments. Amaya Alston was accepted to 22 colleges, which offered her a combined $2.2 million in merit-based scholarships over the course of four years. But Alston, who graduated on Monday, is not the only superstar in her family. Her older brother, track star Jayden Alston, was offered a million dollars in merit-based college scholarships after struggling in elementary school. He graduated from Upper Darby High School in 2024 and is now a student at West Chester University. "Jayden had a huge impact on me growing up," Amaya Alston said. "He was always my biggest role model and I always looked up to him." After Jayden Alston became the blueprint for success in his family, he passed the torch to his sister. Amaya Alston is now heading to East Stroudsburg University on a full scholarship for nursing. "I feel ecstatic, and I'm happy that all my hard work has paid off," she said. CBS Philadelphia Even though Jayden and Amaya Alston will be at different colleges this fall, each one is only a phone call away if the other needs help. "If anything, I look up to Amaya," Jayden Alston said. "Amaya is my baby sister, and I love her more than anything in the world." The siblings' dad said he's excited to see what's next. "I'm proud of my kids," father Jamar Alston said. "My wife and I, we raised two good kids. They've grown up together. It's only fitting that one inspires the other." An older brother carved a path for his younger sister, who is now stepping into her own spotlight. The legacy continues.
CBS News
29 minutes ago
- CBS News
Two Minnesotans help lead Oklahoma Sooners to 7th NCAA women's gymnastics title
It was a rookie year to remember for Lily Pederson and Elle Mueller on the University of Oklahoma women's gymnastics team. The freshmen helped lead the Sooners to their seventh NCAA title back in April. "I knew it could be achievable, but I didn't know freshman year, right out of the gate," Mueller said. "Being able to have two people from the same state, and two friends being able to go to the same college, and accomplish both of our dreams and goals, it's amazing," Pederson said. Pederson grew up competing for Flips Gymnastics in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and Mueller at Twin City Twisters in Champlin, Minnesota. The two often competed against each other as kids. Elle Mueller of the Oklahoma Sooners competes on the floor exercise during the NCAA Seattle Regional gymnastics meet at Alaska Airlines Arena on April 6, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. Ali Gradischer / Getty Images "So literally we've known each other since we were so young, to now we're teammates at OU, so now it's so cool that both of us from Minnesota are now at the number one college," Pederson said. Now, these northerners are creating names for themselves in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). "Yeah, we're really proud. I mean, we get made fun of for our accents sometimes, but it's fine, it's totally fine," Pederson said, laughing. It was a rare experience for two freshmen to contribute in big ways at the Division I NCAA Nationals. Mueller competed on the floor, earning a 9.90, and again on the vault, earning a 9.98 for the Sooners. "I wasn't competing for myself anymore, I was competing for my team because we all wanted to win that national championship," Mueller said. Pederson competed on the beam, vault and bars at nationals. She rebounded from a fall on the beam in the semifinals in a huge way, earning a 9.9375 after nailing her dismount when it mattered most. Lily Pederson of the University of Oklahoma performs her beam routine during the NCAA Gymnastics Championships at Dickies Arena on April 19, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas. Aric Becker/ISI Photos / Getty Images "On day two, I completed the best beam routine I've had in my life. I had the best score I've ever had," Pederson said. "It was such an amazing feeling, and knowing everyone believed in me and was confident in me, like the celebration after, it was a feeling like no other. I was feeling all the emotions and it's a feeling I'll never forget." No matter how big the wins are now and in the future, these gymnasts are always thankful for where the love of this sport started. "[It] keeps me humble and keeps me to myself and reminds me of how far I've come," Mueller said. The Sooners had a nearly undefeated season and won the SEC for the first time in this conference.
