The AL East could put three teams into the postseason, but it doesn't appear the Tampa Bay Rays will be one of them.
They responded to a rough April (12-15) with an above .500 record for May (14-13). But they will need a lot more than that to get on track.
They need to reinvent themselves at the plate. They strike out a lot and don't hit for a ton of power, which is a self-destructive combination. Only two teams have a worse slugging percentage than the Rays, while they had the seventh-highest strikeout percentage.
Tampa ranks in the bottom seven in runs scored and in the bottom 10 in wRC+. The pitching isn't good enough to make up the difference, especially with how many key starters are on the IL.
Unless you were prepared for this watered-down version of the Rays, then it's time to panic. They are clearly a cut below the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox in their division.
To make matters worse, Tampa has the most difficult remaining schedule of any MLB team, according to Tankathon.
Buckle up, Rays fans. You might be a seller at the trade deadline.
