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Despite 12-13 record, Rays show resilience during first four weeks

 
Tampa Bay Rays' Evan Longoria reacts after striking out in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto on Saturday April 29, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) FJT114
Tampa Bay Rays' Evan Longoria reacts after striking out in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto on Saturday April 29, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) FJT114
Published April 30, 2017

TORONTO — The result obviously wasn't what the Rays wanted Saturday in a 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays, but there was some good in the circumstances, as Matt Andriese spared the worn-out bullpen by working seven innings and Steven Souza Jr.'s left hand was only bruised and not broken after being hit by a pitch.

In a way, that was reflective of how their season, which is four weeks old today, has gone.

The 12-13 record is by no means good enough, but when you consider all that they've had to deal with, it's actually not so bad.

"I'm really excited about the way the guys have played," manager Kevin Cash said. "But it's a tough message because we're not accepting of playing .500 baseball."

And they shouldn't be, of course. That's not enough to get them to those "meaningful games in September" they cherish. But when you factor in all the issues they have had to deal with, there are some valid reasons for hope.

Consider:

• The Rays have unexpectedly played all 25 games without starting shortstop Matt Duffy, starting leftfielder Colby Rasmus, eighth-inning reliever Brad Boxberger and veteran reliever Shawn Tolleson.

• Along the way, they have lost to injury their two next most experienced relievers in Xavier Cedeno (leaving them without a lefty) and Tommy Hunter, No. 2 starter Jake Odorizzi and back-up leftfielder Mallex Smith.

• While Corey Dickerson and Souza have been impressive in leading the offense, Nos. 2-4 hitters Kevin Kiermaier, Evan Longoria and Brad Miller have been a collective mess, combining for a .217 average with just six homers and 26 RBIs. Also, catchers Derek Norris and Jesus Sucre are hitting a combined .211.

• The vaunted starting rotation has been vexing, not as much in terms of results — with a 3.83 ERA that is borderline top 10 in the majors — but how they are getting there, specifically a lack of innings: roughly 51/3 per start, in the bottom fourth of the majors, and 12 starts of five innings or less. Their majors-low six quality starts — six or more innings with three or fewer earned runs — is another illustration.

• They have played one of the most difficult schedules, facing the Astros, Orioles and Tigers when they were in first place, as well as the winning Yankees and Red Sox.

"I feel like we've done good for the amount of guys that probably aren't playing up to the potential they're going to be playing up to at some point during the season, especially the starting rotation. I feel like we've underperformed to what we're capable of doing," veteran starter Alex Cobb said.

"I think if you laid it all out after spring training what we were going to endure on the injury front and the way some overall numbers were going to look for some players, you'd be happy with what our record is now."

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Top starter Chris Archer takes a similar view.

"We want more, we want to win more," he said. "There are games we should have won that we didn't. But we have like six, seven, eight players on the DL that aren't just average major-league players but players who are going to contribute significantly to our team.

"So where we're at is good. It's not great. And hopefully as we get healthy things start to come together even more."

For that to be the case, a few things have to happen, including maintaining the resiliency that has already produced eight come-from-behind wins:

• The starters, specifically Blake Snell and Cobb, have to pitch better and thus deeper into games. The bullpen is such a patchwork right now — with three call-ups from Triple A — that the workload has to be reduced, especially since they're in a stretch of 33 games in 34 days. "The starting pitching has been less than I had dreamed of," pitching coach Jim Hickey said, "and if we're going to be good that has to definitely take a step up."

• The key hitters — the aforementioned trio plus the Logan Morrison/Rickie Weeks duo — have to be more productive. "Those guys are going to get hot and they're going to start carrying their load," Cash said.

• Duffy needs to get healthy, as Tim Beckham showed with errors in three straight games that for all the good he has done, the inconsistency remains haunting. And Rasmus needs to return this week as an impact player.

• The front office needs to make the best deal it can to find a lefty reliever; to be the only team in the majors without one — and be using righty Danny Farquhar — is a major handicap.

• They can't afford any more injuries, having already had 11 players, plus three advanced pitching prospects, on the DL.

Is that too much to ask?

Marc Topkin can be reached at mtopkin@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Rays.