KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2014 The Rays have talked a lot during their now nearly two-month run with the majors\u2019 best record about the versatility, creativity and productivity of their offense.<\/p>\n
But now this is getting crazy.<\/p>\n
Wednesday, in improving to a season-best 10 games over .500 and staying within a game of the American League East-leading Yankees, the Rays (45-35) scored all of their runs in a 3-0 win over the Royals during a second-inning rally in which only two balls were hit out of the infield.<\/p>\n
How?<\/p>\n
In large part, because manager Kevin Cash called for two squeeze bunts in the inning, and Jose Caballero and Danny Jansen got them down and the run in. <\/p>\n
Yes, the same Cash who for many seasons not only declined but seemed to detest bunting gave the sign twice in a three-batter span, as he has multiple times during the Rays\u2019 hot streak.<\/p>\n
Manager Kevin Cash called for two squeeze bunts in a three-batter span during the Ray’s three-run second inning. [\u00a0CHARLIE RIEDEL | AP\u00a0]<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re bunting; bizarre, huh?\u201d said six-year veteran pitcher Drew Rasmussen, who threw five strong innings. \u201cYeah, it\u2019s crazy. But it\u2019s been working.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of those things that I just think opening our minds to different ways to win games has been huge. Whatever (Cash) seems to say seems to work right now. He tells guys to run, he tells guys to bunt, he tells guys to do a number of different things. And every call he\u2019s making seems to be working over these last six weeks. So it\u2019s fun to see. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s different, that\u2019s for sure,\u201d Rasmussen continued. \u201cEspecially it\u2019s new to guys who\u2019ve been around a little bit. But it is fun to watch. I think it\u2019s our athleticism; it speaks to how we can win games.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the Rays went to the playoffs five straight seasons from 2019-23, the lack of bunting \u2014 evidenced by no more than eight sacrifice bunts in any of those seasons, including none in the abbreviated 2020 campaign \u2014 was an occasional topic of conversation.<\/p>\n
Sometimes it would be about weighing the value of giving up one of their 27 precious outs. Other times about not having the players to do it or the appropriate situations because of who was batting next.<\/p>\n
But going into this season, open to any and all ways to improve an offense that was one of the majors\u2019 worst last year, the Rays were using the b-word a lot, setting up drills and regular practice sessions for all who wanted to try squaring around.<\/p>\n
Certainly having a team with fast runners, and several candidates for whom good bunting would be an added offensive asset, they have started doing it more.<\/p>\n
Cash gave the credit to the players who did the prep work and have executed when the opportunity presented.<\/p>\n
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Explore all your options<\/a> \u201cI think it\u2019s a product that the guys do a tremendous job of working at it, and then making it happen, executing,\u201d Cash said. \u201cBoth those bunts (Wednesday) that we got down, they\u2019re doing it to where there\u2019s no play at home.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not easy to bunt. They\u2019re making it look easier than what it is. And the guys, they\u2019re embracing whatever situation to score a run, to get it done, they\u2019re doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n That included Jansen, the 30-year-old catcher who until Wednesday hadn\u2019t had a sacrifice bunt since 2021.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just part of kind of what makes us special is we\u2019re willing to do whatever it takes to get some runs in,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Singles to the outfield by Christopher Morel and Josh Lowe gave the Rays runners on the corners with one out against Michael Wacha.<\/p>\n Caballero then dropped a perfectly placed bunt toward first base, so much so that the Royals couldn\u2019t get an out at home or anywhere else.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we get on the board, it\u2019s a good chance we can win games,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel like (bunting) just takes away stressful at-bats for us and just simplifies everything to just put the bunt down and try to score the run. That\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n Speedy Chandler Simpson, who also made a couple of good plays in centerfield, did what he does well, hitting a ball on the ground and turning it into an infield single to load the bases. <\/p>\n Wacha threw a wild pitch, allowing Lowe to score and Caballero to move to third. Then Cash gave another bunt sign, and Jansen delivered a smooth sacrifice, squaring around and pushing the ball toward first, scoring Caballero.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just being prepared for that opportunity throughout the year, whether it\u2019s bunting on the backfield early on, or I\u2019ve gotten a couple (chances) as of late, too,\u201d Jansen said. <\/p>\n \u201cJust kind of understand the situation, and knowing that after the wild pitch, second and third, less than two (out), I looked over, got (the sign) and was willing, obviously, to put it down. So, knowing the opportunity is coming and obviously getting it down was huge.\u201d<\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t mean the Rays are going to bunt regularly. But it certainly has become another weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can still hit homers,\u201d Rasmussen said. \u201cBut our athleticism is off the charts, and that allows us to have a little bit more freedom to do some things.\u201d<\/p>\n Today<\/p>\n at Royals, 2:10 TV\/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 95.3-FM, 620-AM<\/p>\n \u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter<\/a> to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.<\/p>\n Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast<\/a> to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.<\/p>\n Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\nDrew Rasmussen allowed just two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings, improving his record to 7-5 and lowering his ERA to 2.45, eighth-best in the majors [\u00a0CHARLIE RIEDEL | AP\u00a0]<\/p>\n