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Aug 27, 2026 9:47 PM
The Tampa Bay Rays are battling the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox for the AL East as the MLB playoffs approach. Rays Roundtable breaks down Freddie Peralta, Chandler Simpson and Tampa Bay's upcoming series against the San Diego Padres.
The Tampa Bay Rays look to continue their momentum and hold off the rest of the division for the top spot in the American League playoffs, just over a month away.
On this week's Rays roundtable, the staff discusses some of the team's newcomers and unsung heroes on the roster.
The team continues to hold on to the AL East division standings barely. Who are you more concerned about, the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox, down the final stretch?
Michael Brauner: It's gotta be the Yankees. They are starting to click, and if Aaron Judge does return in a couple of weeks, it could change everything down the stretch and into October.
Christian Rauh: I have this weird feeling the Red Sox are going to pass the Yankees by the time we hit the middle of September, so I'm going to say Boston. I think both teams will find a way to make the postseason; however, you just have to make sure that they finish behind you.
We finally saw a good outing for Freddie Peralta since being acquired by the New York Mets. Do you have confidence in him as a starting pitcher in the postseason?
Michael Brauner: I would like to see more before I can say I have confidence, but if there's anywhere he can turn around what this season has been, it's in Tampa Bay.
Christian Rauh: Confidence is certainly growing for Freddy Peralta, and we've seen it in the past years, especially when he was with Milwaukee, that he can be trusted as a playoff pitcher. I'd like to see one or two more starts to show that consistency, but I think he's well on his way.
Chandler Simpson has had a great second half to the year despite the lack of power. Do you believe his skill set still has a space in this game?
Michael Brauner: I don't care what the analytics say. A guy who is stealing 40 bases a year and batting over .300 is useful to any lineup you put him in.
Christian Rauh: Absolutely. Does he have a spot in this game? One of the most underrated traits a player can have is just finding a way to get on base, and Chandler Simpson does that. When he gets on base, he is always a threat to get into scoring position. He is a huge asset to Tampa Bay. I don't care if he can't hit it out of the park.
Predict this weekend's series as the Rays host the San Diego Padres at Tropicana Field.
Michael Brauner: San Diego is coming off a dropped series to the Pirates. With Casey Mize, Walker Buehler, and Robbie Ray on the mound, it's gonna be a tough series to win. I predict the Padres take 2 out of 3
Christian Rauh: The Padres are fighting for playoff relevancy themselves, and for some reason, Tampa Bay has struggled at home this past homestand. This is a perfect opportunity for a get-back series. Give me the Rays winning two against San Diego.
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