Rays stay put in the power rankings after an up-and-down week

Rays stay put in the power rankings after an up-and-down week originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Tampa Bay Rays have been a joy to watch this season. They have handled business all season long and sit comfortably in first place in the American League East.

They hold a 5.5-game lead over the New York Yankees as we get closer to September. They don’t have the hardest schedule remaining, but it isn’t the easiest either, so the club must keep up what they’ve been doing all year.

If they can avoid injuries from here on out, they’re going to be a team that could be quite difficult to take down in a postseason series with the level of offense and pitching the club has gotten.

MORE: Why Freddy Peralta has reasonable excuse for brutal 9.31 ERA start with Rays

Rays stay put in the power rankings after an up-and-down week

Tampa Bay didn’t have the hardest schedule last week, but it was one where they couldn’t let their guard down.

They took on the Athletics in a three-game series, sweeping the A’s, but it was a different story against the Baltimore Orioles, where they got swept themselves in the three-game series.

That made for a 3-3 record last week, which did not help them in regard to the power rankings. Last week they were the No. 4 team, and that is where they stay this week, per Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter.

“The Rays went from 9-0 on their latest road trip with sweeps of the Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, and Athletics, then returned home where they were promptly swept by the Orioles. Despite that stumble, they still hold a 5.5-game lead in the AL East race, and Drew Rasmussen (5 GS, 5-0, 1.20 ERA, 35 K, 30.0 IP) is pitching like a bona fide ace since the All-Star break.”

Luckily for the Rays, they have a chance to get some revenge on the Orioles. First, they have to take on the Toronto Blue Jays during the week before facing off against the Orioles. Maybe they can get those three losses back over the weekend.