MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RAYS THAN THE SOX

Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America

These pesky AL East opponents continue to peck away at the Yankees' confidence and my temper.  Despite the fact that the Baltimore Orioles are 60+ games out of first place (a stat that hasn't been reached since the 1962 Mets), they play the Yankees with conviction and heart, and knock them down whenever they can.  The Yankees should not have to work so hard to beat this team; not with their depth and record.  But, alas they do.  Friday night, they had to put up 10 runs in order to best the O's and Saturday, they had to battle into extras to beat them.  So, as they head into the final home game of the season against Baltimore, my worries move from the Bronx to Tampa Bay and the red hot Rays, who have been nothing but spoilers to our trailblazing Yankees.

Source: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images North America

For 2018, the Yankees have beaten the Rays only 7 out of 15 games and have a losing record in Tropicana field against Tampa Bay.  With the way Rays are playing baseball, they could cause the Yankees to lose games against them and have the Bombers go on the road for the one-day winner takes all Wild Card on October 3rd.  Actually, the Yankees' career against the Rays since 2010 has been even at 82-82 according to stats compiled on mcubed.

 Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America

The Yankees play four against the Rays, Monday through Thursday next week and finish up the season against the Red Sox.  They have always played the Sox well and took two out of three during their most recent series against Boston. But, the Rays, make me nervous.  As a colleague and I said on Friday, Rays manager Kevin Cash should be manager of the year.  He's taken a little team, a little team that could, and made them into a team that is causing many heads to turn, even this late into the season.

Source: MONICA HERNDON Tampa Bay Times

"I think the effort level and the energy," (Cash) said. "We're getting a lot of buy-in right now. We're asking starters to come in out of the bullpen, we're asking relievers to open games for us. The guys all want roles. I want them to have roles. But whatever helps this team win a game tonight, let's do it," Cash said entering the All Star Break.  And the team has not backed down; in fact they are beating up teams like the A's and the Yankees, the potential two AL Wild Card entries. The Yankees did clinch a spot last night ironically as the Rays fell to the Blue Jays.

Source: Rich Schultz/Getty Images North America

Today is the last home game of the regular 2018 season; a season where the expectations were much higher than the Yankee record suggests.  The Yankees have to continue to fight, as we have written in many of our posts recently and they have tough match-ups all week leading to the final regular season game in Fenway Park.  But, they have to face the Rays first, who have done nothing but beat them up this season.  I am more concerned about those games than the games at Fenway.  The Yankees have to leave Tampa Bay besting them minimally three out of four if not a sweep.  Given the fact that the Yankees have 1-5 record at the Trop this season, the challenge is steep, but not impossible.  Let's hope they can get their heads on straight and find the bats and stellar pitching against the Rays this week.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof