Struggling Rays Ready to Reset Over All-Star Break After Being Swept by Red Sox

After being swept by the Boston Red Sox in a 4-1 loss on Sunday at Fenway Park, Rays manager Kevin Cash was asked if the team is ready to use the All-Star break to clear their heads.

His answer was simple: "Yeah."

The Rays (50-47) leave Boston empty-handed as the Red Sox (53-45) are winners of 10 straight and lead the Rays by 2.5 games in the American League East. After going 2-8 on their 10-game road trip, the Rays are six games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays.

"We've played really well at certain points, and then today, and over this last 10-day road trip, we have not played our best baseball," Cash added. "I'd like to see us bounce back here when we start against Baltimore."

Tampa Bay has collectively struggled on both sides of the ball lately. In this series, it was a combination of bullpen collapse and an anemic offense, with the latter plaguing the club in the past two games. Sunday's lone run came on a sacrifice fly RBI by right fielder Josh Lowe.

"Go home and relax. We've played 90-something games already, we're still above .500, we're still in the mix of everything," Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot said.

In his 20th start, Pepiot was producing a solid outing. Then, with the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Boston's hitters started to get after him.

It started with a Roman Anthony double to left field. Then, shortstop Trevor Story drove Anthony in with an RBI single. Subsequently, Ceddanne Rafaela, who hit the walkoff shot in Friday's Game 2, hit another two-run blast. Before Pepiot and the Rays knew it, Boston had a 4-1 lead.

"You go 2-8 on a road trip, you kind of want to get away from it a little bit," Pepiot said. "So now it's nice to have multiple off days in a row."

Rays rookie center fielder Chandler Simpson, who extended his franchise-record rookie hitting streak to 16 games on Sunday, echoed the sentiments of Pepiot and Cash.

"Take the days off, take them for what they are, regroup mentally and physically," Simpson said. "Just continue to stay positive and continue to take it one day at a time. That's all we can do."

Not everyone in the organization will rest and recover during the break. On Sunday night at 6 p.m. ET, the Rays' brass will be hard at work making selections in the 2025 MLB Draft.

On Monday at 8 p.m. ET, Tampa Bay third baseman and first-time All-Star Junior Caminero will participate in the Home Run Derby, followed by the All-Star Game on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, where he will represent the Rays alongside first baseman Jonathan Aranda and right-hander Drew Rasmussen. Second baseman Brandon Lowe also earned a selection, but a trip to the 10-day injured list for left oblique tightness will keep him out of the game.