RaysUp - Tampa Bay Rays Home Stand with the Detroit Tigers

Tampa Bay Rays UpdateRays fall 10-9 to the Detroit Tigers in a wild game at Tropicana FieldDetroit's Dylan Dingler goes 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs, 4 runs, and 2 home runs — a persistent thorn in the Rays' side (.409 average, 1.234 OPS vs. Tampa Bay)Riley Green and Matt Carpenter also continue their success against the RaysGriffin Jax struggles in his starting role; discussion on whether he should be moved back to the bullpenTy Johnson looking strong in AAA and nearing a call-upStandings & Playoff OutlookWith 106 games remaining at time of recording, the Rays need a .509 win percentage to reach 90 wins90 wins historically locks up a playoff spotDiscussion of when to push chips in at the trade deadlineTrade Deadline Talk (August 3rd, 6 PM ET)Rays' needs: a reliable #2 starter, a power bat (4th in lineup), and bullpen depthCaminero (14 HR), Aranda and Diaz (11 HR each) — big drop-off to 3 HR for everyone elseWillson Contreras floated as a potential catcher/lineup upgradeThe Rays' 33rd overall draft pick could be a valuable trade chipInjury ConcernsCraig Kimbrel, Uceta, Jesse Shelton, Manuel Rodriguez all on the shelfDepth and health heading into the playoffs remain a concernMinor League WatchNathan Fluellen and Caden Bodine (catchers) and Theo Gillen (CF) starring in Bowling GreenBrody Hopkins showing personality and passion on the mound — walk issues similar to young Chris Archer, Blake Snell, and Taj BradleyMichael Ford making a strong impression; could be fast-trackedFormer Rays in the LeagueChristopher Sanchez (Phillies) leads all MLB pitchers in fWAR at 3.3 — traded for Curtis MeadJoel Ryan (5th in fWAR) — traded for Nelson CruzTristan Peters thriving with the Chicago White SoxFan Engagement at the TropThe "tarp boys" shirtless section goes viral; Raymond the mascot and Brett Phillips join inPlayers like Richie Palacios encouraging fans on social mediaWomen in BaseballWomen's baseball tournament in Rockford, Illinois (July) — home of the Rockford PeachesAll American Girls Professional Baseball League reunion happening simultaneouslyWomen's Pro Baseball League launching in Springfield (August)Ballpark Food SegmentMat's pick: Poutine (ideally with Montreal smoked meat) from La BanquiseMark's pick: Sausage with sautéed peppers and brown mustardDiscussion of beer-steamed hot dogs, kimchi, chow-chow, and Cuban sandwiches in TampaMark's "nutritionist for the Rays" pitch: a fresh fish taco bar — dubbed the "Grit & Glow"UpcomingRays vs. Marlins in Miami this weekendPossible future guest: a White Sox insider to discuss streakiness and the team's turnaroundBaseballBiz On Deck is produced by Mark Corbett and Mat Germain. New episodes drop regularly throughout the baseball season.Remember to like and subscribe to BaseballBiz On Deck. You may also find BaseballBiz on Deck, on YouTube at iHeart Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and at baseball biz on deck dot com. Also you can find Mat [email protected] .  or Mark at [email protected] and BaseballBiz On Deck with Facebook social