TAMPA — The theme for Monday was the return of former Rays star Randy Arozarena to the Tampa Bay area for the first time since being traded in July 2024.
But the Rays were more pleased about the return to form of a key member of their current team — starter Shane Baz.
The right-hander in his first full major-league season had gone 10 starts — since June 26 — without a win, posting an 0-8 record and 6.58 ERA during that rough stretch.
After signs of improvement in his last outing Aug. 26 in Cleveland, Baz looked very much like his best self Monday, throwing six scoreless innings as the Rays beat Arozarena’s Mariners 10-2.
Baz allowed five hits and only two walks, striking out six, mixing his fastball and a dastardly curveball well, and getting out of what little trouble he faced. He improved to 9-11 for the season, dropping his ERA to 4.98.
“I’ve always said that’s the Baz that we want to see,” said Yandy Diaz, via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. ” I know that he’s capable of doing that. I think he’s not (just) one of the best pitchers on this team. But in the big leagues. … I think he’s one of the best pitchers. So hopefully he’ll continue pitching well, and that’ll help us win.”
Baz said there was a lot that went well.
“I felt like I made pitches when I needed to,” he said. “Defense helped me out. Was able to just mix my stuff, I think, pretty good. And kind of keep them off-balance and just try to spot up some pitches when I needed to.”
Baz had looked better against the Guardians, allowing three first-inning runs on three singles, two walks and a sacrifice fly, then nothing else, retiring his final 16 hitters and completing six innings.
“He picked up right where he left off in the Cleveland outing,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I was happy for him. He really set a tone early on, lot of strikes and nasty curve balls in there, had a big fastball going.
“That lineup, obviously, is very talented to navigate through that. The one time, he was frustrated coming off the mound, I think in the fourth inning, about falling behind some guys, and then he reset himself and made some huge pitches to get through that sixth inning.”
Baz, who now has an 11-inning scoreless streak, got plenty of help Monday as the Rays scored multiple runs in four innings.
Catcher Nick Fortes got them started, hitting a three-run homer with two outs in the second, sprinting around first and second as it was unclear if the ball cleared the rightfield wall.
“My head was down and I looked up and (the ball) was laying on the ground because it bounced back in,” Fortes said. “So I didn’t know if it went over, if it hit the wall or what. So I was just running until they told me to start jogging.”
Brandon Lowe (with a double over Arozarena’s head) and Junior Caminero teamed up to drive in two runs in the third. Diaz and Caminero combined to knock in three more in the seventh. Tristan Gray hit a two-run homer in the eighth.
Arozarena, who was cheered warmly by the crowd and paid tribute with a video during the second inning, went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, but was picked off after stealing second in the first inning.
The Rays have won four straight and seven of their last eight in improving to 68-69.
And, of some interest, they moved to within 4 1/2 games of the Mariners, who hold the third American League wild-card spot, though there are three other teams between them. The Rays felt they had a similar opportunity a few weeks ago in Seattle and were swept by the Mariners.
“They are a good team,” Diaz said. “We just have to take advantage of the way we’re playing right now, and hopefully we’ll take the series.”
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