Tampa Bay Rays have the best record in baseball. They are at or near the top in most power rankings.
This week, the Rays are in Chicago, playing the White Sox in a three-game series. This is not just another mid-week baseball series. This is a matchup of two of the best teams in baseball.
So you would think that the MLB Network and ESPN would be in a bidding war to determine who will televise these games, pitting two of the best teams against one another.
You would be wrong.
If your turn on your TV set tonight and want to watch baseball, you get the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets.
I am so tired of seeing the Cubs, Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox that I could puke. This is an opportunity to shine the spotlight on two of the best teams in baseball, and ESPN has struck out yet again.
I’m not surprised.
The Rays took the opener in Chicago last night 5-2 and will look to take game two tonight with Shane McClanahan getting the start for the Rays.
The Rays are 30-10 over their last 40 games, the best in baseball. In mid-May, the Rays were scuffling at 19-19. Since then, the Rays are 24-5.
The Rays also haven’t lost a game by more than three runs over that 40 game stretch.
The Rays local TV ratings are skyrocketing. According to Bally’s Sports Sun, Monday night’s game between the Rays and the White Sox was the most-watched game this season.
It took Bally Sports Sun to a number one rating in primetime locally and averaged more viewers than The Bachelorette and the NBA and NHL playoff games.
It’s time the rest of the baseball world start paying attention to this team with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays.
—Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow had an MRI this morning in Chicago. Glasnow was lifted after four innings on Monday night after complaining of discomfort in his arm.
The MRI revealed a partial UCL tear as well as flexor strain. Glasnow says the plan is to rehab without surgery, although he wants to be back this season and preferably before the post-season.
Glasnow says he has used sunscreen and rosin until the last two starts. Glasnow said he felt not using the substance contributed to the injury.
After His last start against the Washington Nationals last week, Glasnow said he was more sore than usual because he had to adjust his grip.
Could this have contributed to the injury? Glasnow is convinced it did. However, I think it’s still too early to come to any concrete solutions. MLB will be watching pitchers closely over the next few weeks, and then we may be able to string some data together to confirm what Glasnow thinks.
What we do know is that the Rays have lost their best pitcher for the foreseeable future. To take Glasnow’s spot on the roster, the Rays have recalled infielder Michael Brosseau.
This is just another obstacle that the Rays will have to overcome as they continue to be the best team in baseball.
