Rays return home after 'frustrating' trip

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.

ST. PETERSBURG -- There were a couple different ways to describe the Rays¡¯ road trip through Baltimore and New York. ¡°Long¡± was probably the most appropriate word to explain the 10-game, 11-day trek that included two flights, a train ride, an off-day and eight nights in the same New York City hotel.

¡°I forgot we even went to Baltimore on this trip,¡± outfielder Josh Lowe told reporters at Citi Field before finally heading home. ¡°It was a long trip.¡±

Manager?Kevin Cash?picked a different word in his postgame interview after?Thursday¡¯s loss, which capped a 4-6 stretch during which Tampa Bay lost a series to the Orioles, split four games with the Yankees and dropped two of three to the Mets.

¡°Frustrating,¡± Cash said.

That word captures a lot of what went on since the Rays¡¯ last home game. They?lost starter Drew Rasmussen until at least August. In Baltimore, Tampa Bay¡¯s indomitable lineup couldn¡¯t find timely hits. In New York, the?bullpen¡¯s issues?became apparent on?more than?one occasion.

Consider: The Rays lost six games on the trip, and five were by one run. The other loss was by two runs. They actually outscored their competition in those 11 games, 52-46, but came home with a bitter taste in their mouths.

¡°Two or three games didn¡¯t go our way,¡± Cash told reporters Thursday afternoon. ¡°We were close [in] a couple, but close doesn¡¯t necessarily cut it.¡±

Rasmussen¡¯s injury will almost certainly be the most impactful development. It further afflicted a rotation already without Jeffrey Springs (not to mention Shane Baz) and still waiting on Tyler Glasnow. The Rays should still be in fine enough shape, if everyone else stays healthy, with Glasnow potentially in line to join the foursome of Shane McClanahan, Zach Eflin, Taj Bradley and Josh Fleming next week.

But Wednesday¡¯s loss was probably the most frustrating game of the trip.

The Rays had a franchise-record-tying three blown saves in the late innings. Ryan Thompson gave up a game-tying two-run homer in the seventh, Jason Adam served up a tying three-run shot in the ninth and Pete Fairbanks¡¯ remarkable scoreless streak finally ended in his first game back from the injured list when he allowed the game-winning three-run blast to Pete Alonso in the 10th.

It¡¯s not fair to expect perfection out of the bullpen every game, even from top relievers such as Adam and Fairbanks. But the Rays need more consistent performances from their bullpen arms, especially with the rotation stressed by another key injury.

This month, Tampa Bay¡¯s bullpen has put together a 5.43 ERA. Their relievers have 57 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings and have allowed 30 walks (plus five hit batters) and 13 homers in 16 games in May. The most alarming stat might be the Rays bullpen¡¯s 1.96 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season, better than only the National League East's last-place Nationals (1.81) and A¡¯s (1.34). Those are also the only two relief units with a lower strikeout rate than Tampa Bay¡¯s 18.6 percent mark.

Granted, the ¡®pen is also dealing with injuries. Fairbanks missed some time with inflammation in his forearm/wrist. Garrett Cleavinger was a notable loss, Shawn Armstrong just began a Minor League rehab assignment and Andrew Kittredge isn¡¯t expected back until July at the earliest. Between injuries and underperformance, the Rays had to seek help outside the organization in Jake Diekman and Zack Littell.

How long was this trip? Diekman and Littell weren¡¯t on the team when it started, and they¡¯ve already combined to make five appearances.

The competition won¡¯t get much easier at Tropicana Field, where the Rays will host 10 games against the NL Central-leading Brewers, the always-tough Blue Jays (who took two of three at Rogers Centre last month) and the NL West's first-place Dodgers.

The good news? The Rays still have the Majors¡¯ best record overall (32-13) and at home (19-3), even if it feels like a long time since they¡¯ve been here.

¡°I know everybody¡¯s excited to get home, have 10 days at home and get in our own beds,¡± Lowe said.