As May concludes, the Tampa Bay Rays have become one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball. The Rays, now above .500 for the first time since the season’s opening week, are set to face the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday in the second game of a three-game home series, aiming to extend their momentum.
Monday’s opener saw Tampa Bay topple the Twins 7-2, marking their sixth consecutive victory, the longest active winning streak in the league. This triumph also pushed their record on a nine-game homestand to an impressive 6-1.
Rays’ Strong Offense Fuels Latest Win
The Rays followed up a dominating weekend sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, during which they scored 19 runs while conceding just two. Monday’s victory featured a solid pitching performance from Zack Littell, complemented by home runs from Jonathan Aranda and Danny Jansen. Brandon Lowe continued his hot streak with two singles, extending his hitting streak to nine games, and Curtis Mead also maintained consistency with hits in eight straight games.
Tampa Bay’s manager Kevin Cash noted the positive atmosphere, saying,
“There’s a lot of energy right now, I think winning helps show that energy.”
—Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays Manager
Twins to Start Taj Bradley Amid Mixed Results
For Tuesday’s game, the Twins will send right-hander Taj Bradley (4-3, 4.61 ERA) to the mound. Bradley has shown inconsistency throughout the season, posting a 2-1 record in four May starts but struggling with command issues, contributing to a 4.64 ERA this month.
In 56 2/3 innings pitched this season, Bradley has walked 24 batters and allowed eight home runs, with opposing hitters batting .242 against him. His track record against the Minnesota Twins is less encouraging, as he is 0-1 with a 5.09 ERA in three career starts versus the team, which has hit five homers off him in just over 17 innings.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli expressed some frustration with his team‘s offensive performance in the series opener, stating,
“Clearly not our best offensive effort, but we hit some balls hard but got almost nothing out of the line drives that we hit. It just didn’t work for us offensively today.”
—Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota Twins Manager
Former Rays Prospect Joe Ryan to Pitch for Twins
Minnesota’s starting pitcher on Tuesday will be Joe Ryan, a former Tampa Bay Rays prospect who knows the organization well. Ryan (4-2, 2.68 ERA) was traded to the Twins in a significant deadline deal in 2021 that brought slugger Nelson Cruz to Tampa Bay.
Ryan, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2018 draft by the Rays, competed in the Tokyo Olympics that year, winning a silver medal with Team USA under manager Mike Scioscia. The right-hander has made two career starts against Tampa Bay, posting a 2.53 ERA with no decisions.
During the Twins’ successful 13-game winning streak, Ryan contributed notably on May 16 by pitching six innings of two-hit ball with nine strikeouts in a 3-0 road win over the Milwaukee Brewers. His most recent outing on May 20 saw him throw five-plus innings while allowing three runs in a game suspended from the previous day, which the Twins ultimately won 6-5.
Injuries and Rehab Assignments Affect Team Lineups
The Twins traveled with center fielder Byron Buxton on Monday, although he did not play due to not being cleared from the concussion injured list. Meanwhile, the Rays may soon receive reinforcements as outfielder Jake Mangum and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim participated in rehab assignments with Triple-A Durham on Monday. Mangum, recovering from a strained left groin, went 2-for-4 with a double, walk, and RBI, while Kim, coming back from right shoulder surgery and playing designated hitter, went 2-for-2 at the plate.
Implications for the Series and Team Outlooks
Tuesday’s matchup between the Twins and Rays features two teams at different moments: Tampa Bay riding a wave of recent success and the Twins leveraging the talents of Joe Ryan, a pitcher familiar with their opponents’ tendencies. Ryan’s recent performances have bolstered Minnesota’s rotation during an impressive winning streak, while the Rays seek to maintain their strong form at home. How these pitching matchups unfold could determine the series outcome and influence the teams’ trajectories as the season progresses.