Tampa Bay Rays - RaysUp Barbecue with Kansas City, & Beer with FIFA

Mark and Mat record live during the Rays vs. Royals Wednesday night game, the fourth and final game of a tough homestand series that Tampa Bay lost three games to one. The score at wrap-up is 5-3 in favor of the Rays heading into the final out of the ninth.Topics CoveredRays June Struggles The guys break down a rough June for Tampa Bay, noting the team has been burning through its early-season buffer. Mat walks through the slugging numbers for the month, where league average sits at .400. Only four Rays batters are above that mark in June: Ryan Vilade (.581), Junior Caminero (.461), Yandy Diaz (.453), and Cedric Mullins (.407). Jonathan Aranda and several others are well below .300, pointing to a lineup in a collective funk.Player HighlightsChandler Simpson makes a strong catch after an earlier error and bounces back with a single at the plateJohnny DeLuca returns and brings energy back to the outfieldJunior Caminero continues to lead All-Star voting at third base and is discussed as a possible Home Run Derby participantRoster Moves The Rays DFA Dom Keegan to acquire right-handed pitcher Chris Roycroft from the Cardinals. Mat profiles Roycroft as a Kyle Snyder-type project at 6'8", comparing his pitch mix to Manuel Rodriguez and his build and arm angle to former Ray Aaron Slegers. Mat notes the Rays may look to add a changeup to Roycroft's repertoire and suggests Keegan could be traded to a team needing first base depth, with the Mets mentioned as a possible destination.Trade Deadline Talk: Byron Buxton Mat makes the case for the Rays pursuing Twins outfielder Byron Buxton. Key points:Buxton is signed at $15 million per year through 2028He has stayed healthy the last two seasonsA package of Cedric Mullins and Jacob Melton could be the framework of a dealAdding Buxton alongside Caminero, Diaz, and Aranda would give Tampa a genuinely fearsome lineupJacob Melton is currently excelling in AAA and is expected to be called up or used as trade bait in early July.Pitching Depth Discussion of starter innings limits and how the Rays are managing their rotation. The Giants are dangling arms including Robbie Ray, though Mat suspects the Rays will prioritize lineup help over adding a starter. Brian Baker is discussed as a more confident and committed closer Minor League Notes The Bowling Green Hot Rods are 51 and 19.  The Rays have 15 hitters with an OPS above .800 and more than 100 at bats across their minor league system this season, with only six of those above Double-A.FIFA World Cup Mark and Mat take a detour to discuss the World Cup taking place across the US. Mat talks about attending games in Vancouver with Canadian military personnel, eating barbecue around the clock. They note that the lower alcohol content in American beer has European and Canadian fans drinking more than usual and draining Boston breweries. All three host nations (US, Mexico, Canada) advance out of the group stage. Mat reflects on never seeing Canadian men's soccer at this level in his lifetime, with the team ranked in the top 30 globally.Women's Baseball Mark reminds listeners that the Women's Pro Baseball League launches in August in Springfield, Illinois - https://www.womensprobaseballleague.com/ Women's Baseball Classic group stage takes place in Rockford, Illinois in approximately one month. - https://www.iwbc.org/worldcup/ Local Recognition The Rays recognize the University of Tampa Spartans for their NCAA Division II baseball three-peat and St. Leo's women's softball team for their Division II championship. Mark also mentions a recent conversation with Genelle Helen Garverick about the history of women's softball in the area dating back to the 1940s & 1950’s.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 @matgermain.bsky.social  or Mark at [email protected] and BaseballBiz On Deck with Facebook social