#Dewayne Staats

MIAMI, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rays have owned the''Citrus Series'' for years, and this year is no different. The Rays are 3-0 so far this year against the Miami Marlins, and they'll go for the sweep in Wednesday night. Tampa Bay has won the series four years in a row now, and 11 times in the last 15 years since 2008. They've won six straight games…

TORONTO - Wander Franco is back in the lineup on Tuesday afternoon as the Tampa Bay Rays get ready to tangle twice with the Toronto Blue Jays. It's a day/night doubleheader as the two teams try to make up games lost during the first week of the season before the lockout was settled. Franco, who came off the injured list on Friday, had three hits…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - In the past few weeks, the Toronto Blue Jays have been red-hot and the Tampa Bay Rays have been struggling. Because of those recent trends, they've swapped spots in the playoff race, with the Jays leading the way and the Rays hanging on to the sixth and final wild-card spot. The two teams get together in St. Petersburg for a…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manuel Margot has had one hot bat lately, but he's also had a minor hamstring issue flare up. But after missing the final two games of the West Coast trip and getting more treatment on Thursday's off day, he's back in the lineup on Friday night when the Rays take on the Toronto Blue Jays. "I feel good. (Thursday) on the off…

BOSTON, Mass. - It was a long journey back to the pitcher's mound for Tyler Glasnow, but when he made in first start in more than a year after Tommy John surgery last Wednesday in Cleveland, he said that everything felt normal. The new normal now is pitching every five days, so he's back on the mound Monday night when the Rays take on the Boston…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rays have won nine of 16 games against the Toronto Blue Jays so far this season, and can clinch the season series on Friday night when the two teams get together at Tropicana Field. It's a very big deal. The Rays and Blue Jays are still battling for playoff positioning, though it's fairly clear that neither with…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The best move the Tampa Bay Rays made all year was adding Jeffrey Springs to the starting rotation. After spending the first month in the bullpen, he's been lights out ever since, posting some great numbers. He gets the start again on Sunday, facing his former team, the Texas Rangers, in the series finale at Tropicana Field.…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jonathan Aranda hasn't missed a beat in the batter's box since getting called up to the big leagues for the second time. After hitting.318 with 18 homers in Triple-A Durham, he's batting.343 for the Rays, and hit his first career major-league homer earlier this week in Toronto. On Saturday, he'll enjoy another first. He's…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The final homestand of the season begins on Friday night for the Tampa Bay Rays, and there's still plenty at stake. Veteran pitcher Corey Kluber, who's been up and down of late, will start for the Rays in this first of three games against the Texas Rangers. It's the first of 10 straight games at Tropicana Field to end the…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Luis Patino returned to St. Petersburg on Sunday, ready to lend a hand - and an arm - in the Tampa Bay Rays' playoff chase. Patino, the hard-throwing 22-year-old right-hander, was called up from Triple-A Durham and activated on Monday. He's start against the Boston Red Sox in the Monday afternoon game, which starts at 4:10…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - There's a lot at stake for the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, and manager Kevin Cash is hoping for another nice boost from pitcher Shawn Armstrong, who was awesome in an emergency role last Tuesday. It was Armstrong who was pressed into duty in Miami when ace Shane McClanahan had trouble getting loose prior to his start against…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - This is a very fast two-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays, a Tuesday night game followed by a very early Wednesday matinee. The two teams square off at 12:10 ET on getaway day. Jalen Beeks will get the start for Tampa Bay on an''opener'' day. This will be the 14th time this season the Rays will use an opener and they are…

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - For the past couple of years, the Tampa Bay Rays have been plowing through National League competition during interleague play, but that's all changed in the past month or so. Last year the Rays went 15-5, and then the Rays started 10-1 in interleague play this year, reeling off 10 wins in a row after losing the interleague season…