BOSTON, Mass. — The Tampa Bay Rays haven't been overly concerned about wins and losses since clinching a postseason berth last Friday. They've seemed so comfortable with landing in the sixth and final playoff spot that they've trotted out minor-league pitchers two nights in a row in games they could have won but then didn't.
There was a different spin on that shoulder-shrug feeling Tuesday night at Fenway Park. Trailing 1-0 in the rainy fifth inning, the Rays brought in struggling reliever Colin Poche. He proceeded to give up a single to Red Sox second baseman Christian Arroyo, a double to catcher Connor Wong, a walk to Rafael Devers and then a massive 421-foot grand slam home run by Xander Bogaerts to blow the game open.
The grand slam hurt, but so did Poche's left oblique. He strained it on the pitch and is now out for the season and will miss the playoffs that start Friday. The heavier rains came a few batters later, and the game was called, with the Red Sox winning 6-0.
The loss — the fourth in a row for the Rays — finally secured the No. 6 seed in the playoffs for the Rays, whose loss combined with two Seattle wins in a doubleheader against Detroit has now set the playoff pairings. The Rays will play a best-of-three playoff series against the American League Central champion Cleveland Guardians starting on Friday. The entire series will be played in Cleveland. Game times are expected to be announced on Wednesday.
It was a fitting end to the season for Poche, who was great early in the year but has struggled of late and caught the ire of many Rays fans. On June 18, he had pitched 23 times on the year and had a nifty 1.27 earned run average.
But since then, he's been brutal, allowing nine home runs and blowing six saves. He's given up 11 runs in his last 11 2/3 innings. Since that June date, he's given up 23 earned runs in just 34 2/3 innings, a 5.97 ERA. He pitched in a total of 65 games, but gave up runs in only 15 of them.
The Rays are scheduled to play the final game of the regular season on Wednesday afternoon in Boston, but weather may play a role again. Josh Fleming, who was recalled from the minors on Tuesday, will start for the Rays. The game is scheduled to start at 4:10 p.m. ET. Nick Pivetta (10-12) is scheduled to pitch for Boston.
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