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Rays Should Not Panic Following Four-Game Losing Streak
May 27, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) strikes out during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays are off to a fantastic start to the season and have the best record in the American League. However, on their recent home trip, they did slip up a little bit. 

Following a busy offseason, the Rays have been easily the biggest surprise in all of baseball. Tampa Bay was a team this winter that made a lot of moves, but seemingly was gearing the team for the future. However, a couple of savvy moves in free agency have created one of the best starting rotations in baseball, and they have led this group. 

Veterans Nick Martinez and Steven Matz have blown away expectations, and the team should be very pleased with what they have seen. Martinez has pitched like an All-Star this year, and Matz has been solid most nights that he has taken the mound. 

Even though the batting order might have some issues at the bottom, their star trio has lived up to the hype. Adding another bat or two before the trade deadline makes sense, especially if the team is serious about being a contender. While things have gone well for much of the year, they have slipped up a bit of late. 

Following a rainout on Saturday against the New York Yankees, the Rays lost on Sunday and then were swept by the Baltimore Orioles to start the week. While it certainly isn’t ideal to be on a four-game losing streak, Tampa Bay has created some nice separation to weather the storm. 

Rays Should Not Panic 

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Due to Tampa Bay not being considered to be a contender coming into the year, there is always going to be skepticism surrounding whether or not they are legit until they make the playoffs. 

Fortunately, even though they lost four games in a row, they are still in first place in the American League East and have the best record in the AL as well. Slip-ups are going to happen throughout the long season, and it didn’t help that they were walked off in two of those games. 

Now, with the team on a semi-long losing streak, they will have a great chance to get back on track over the weekend. With a day off on Thursday, the team will now be hosting the Los Angeles Angels for three games. The Angels are not performing well, and this will be a golden opportunity to get back on track. While it is easy to panic, Tampa Bay’s sample size has been far too large this year to freak out about one bad stretch. 


This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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