Rays Don't Need Home Runs to Win, and That Could Matter in Upcoming ALDS

The Tampa Bay Rays had some problems with strikeouts during the final week of the regular season.

They struck out 12 times against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday and eight more times in the regular-season finale on Sunday.

That's something I've talked about recently because the pitching isn't getting any easier in October.

But those games also go against what the Rays have done offensively for most of the season.

Tampa Bay finished with an 18.8% strikeout rate, the lowest in Major League Baseball.

This makes the team even more dangerous as the Rays don't have to sit around and wait for Junior Caminero to hit one over the fence. Obviously, having a guy who hit 42 home runs makes things a lot easier, but there is more to this offense than that.

Chandler Simpson is probably the best example. We know what his speed can do once he gets on base, but even getting the ball on the ground can put pressure on a defense. That's going to be especially important against the type of pitching Tampa Bay will see in the postseason.

The Rays have plenty of other guys who can do similar things.

Jonny DeLuca, Victor Mesa Jr. and Cedric Mullins can all run. Tampa Bay can bunt when the situation calls for it, move runners over, and find ways to score without needing three or four hits in an inning.

I think that's what makes this offense interesting going into the ALDS.

It isn't just a bunch of guys who slap the ball around and hope their speed creates something.

DeLuca, Mesa, and Mullins all finished with double-digit home runs.

We also know what Caminero can do. Yandy Díaz can hit. Jonathan Aranda can hit.

There are going to be moments in October when the Rays need someone to hit a ball 420 feet. There are also going to be moments when a walk, bunt, stolen base, and single are enough to win a game.

Tampa Bay has shown it can do both.

The strikeouts from the final week are still something I'm going to watch because the Rays just saw what elite pitching can do to this lineup. And both the Yankees and Red Sox possess elite arms. 

But over 162 games, this was the hardest team in baseball to strike out.

That's the version of the Rays offense they need to take into October.