The Tampa Bay Rays led the American League in wins and are heading to the World Series with a non-traditional lineup that features a couple All-Stars and mostly unsung heroes who do whatever it takes to win games.
asserted
it → lead → games
They make contact, bunt, steal bases but also can hit for power.
asserted
They → make → power
The Rays finished second to the NL champion Brewers in batting average at .2581 to Milwaukee’s .2585.
asserted
Rays → finish → .2585
The Rays led the majors with 134 bunts during the regular season, had the fewest strikeouts and were 22nd in homers, playing their brand of small-ball mixed in with some long ball provided mostly by Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda.
asserted
Rays → lead → Caminero
He led the team with a .306 batting average and 46 steals.
asserted
He → lead → average
Simpson has no homers in 1,053 career plate appearances in the majors and is a prototypical, old-school leadoff hitter.
asserted
Simpson → have → majors
Simpson batted fifth (57) more times than first (37) and was in the No. 3 spot in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against Cleveland.
asserted
Simpson → bat → Cleveland
“I feel like there’s a lot that goes into it, especially hitting the middle order with dudes that can hit for power in front of you and dudes that can do the same behind you, or run as well,” Simpson said.
asserted
Simpson → feel → you
“Just move defenses around and cause havoc when people are on base or off base.
asserted
people → move → base
I feel it’s effective when there’s traffic on the base paths or nobody on to start an inning or keep an inning going.
asserted
it → feel → inning
Just being able to be contact-reliant and make sure to put the ball in play, moving the ball forward, and try my best to get on base any way I can.”
In an era of baseball where launch angle and exit velocity are emphasized, home runs are prioritized and striking out has become far too acceptable, Simpson plays a different style.
asserted
Simpson → make → style
He has more success hitting the ball on the ground, doesn’t strike out much (48) and impacts games by getting on base however he can.
asserted
he → have → base
He had 14 bunt hits.
asserted
He → have → hits
“It’s fun to play my game,” Simpson said.
asserted
Simpson → ’ → game
but there’s definitely a space for contact, getting on base, playing good defense, running, base running, doing all those things that can win games as well that can complement power to a certain extent.
asserted
that → ’ → extent
“So I feel like it’s fun, and I feel like there’s definitely a complementary factor that helps winning ball games.
asserted
that → feel → games
I feel like it can’t just be all power.
asserted
it → feel → ?
I feel like it has to work together to pull it out at the end of the day.”
asserted
it → feel → day
For power, the Rays have Caminero, Díaz and Aranda.
asserted
Rays → have → Caminero
Caminero, a two-time All-Star third baseman, is the anchor of the lineup and usually bats in the third spot or cleanup.
asserted
Caminero → bat → spot
He hit .276 with 42 homers, 101 RBIs and had an .885 OPS.
asserted
He → hit → OPS
Díaz, the veteran designated hitter, hit .293 with 22 homers, 85 RBIs and led the league with 180 hits while making his second All-Star team.
asserted
Díaz → designate → team
The hulking Díaz – he may have the biggest biceps in the majors — hit two-run homers in 7-3 victories in Games 4 and 6 against the Guardians.
uncertain
he → hit → Guardians
Díaz also batted fourth (34) more times than anyone else on the team.
asserted
Díaz → bat → team
Aranda, an All-Star in 2025, hit .274 with 22 homers, 92 RBIs and a .358 OBP.
asserted
Aranda → hit → homers
He’s usually in the two-hole in the lineup.
asserted
He → ’ → lineup
They’re the fixtures.
asserted
They → ’re → ?
Jonny DeLuca and Cedric Mullins shared center field in the regular season with DeLuca starting all six games in the ALCS.
asserted
DeLuca → share → ALCS
Vilade bounced around with five organizations before the Rays acquired him last November.
asserted
Rays → bounce → him
He had one homer in 64 at-bats but made the most of his opportunity to play in Tampa Bay.
asserted
He → have → Bay
The right-handed hitting Vilade hit .245 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs in 245 at-bats.
asserted
Vilade → hit → bats
He went deep off Max Fried at Yankee Stadium in Game 3 of the AL Division Series, helping the Rays sweep New York.
“Just being able to look back and like last year, I was in (Triple-A) Memphis and sleeping on an Amazon or a Walmart bed, and this year I’m here and get to go to the ALCS and compete with my guys,” Vilade said.
asserted
Vilade → go → guys
“That’s just the Lord’s plan, and I’m grateful for it.”
asserted
I → ’ → it
Mesa was designated for assignment by Miami in February so the Rays made a trade to get him.
asserted
Rays → designate → him
The rookie batted .260 with 14 homers and 34 RBIs in only 235 at-bats.
asserted
rookie → bat → bats
He bats throughout the lineup, including cleanup behind Caminero sometimes.
asserted
He → bat → Caminero
Mesa hit a go-ahead, tiebreaking two-run homer off Fried in the ALDS clincher.
asserted
Mesa → hit → clincher
“When I first started with the Rays, I wasn’t hitting anything,” Mesa said through an interpreter.
asserted
Mesa → start → interpreter
“I wasn’t getting any single base hits.
asserted
I → get → hits
I wasn’t getting on base at all.
asserted
I → get → base
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
