{"id":778269,"date":"2026-08-14T05:54:22","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T05:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/778269\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T05:54:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T05:54:22","slug":"rays-return-from-historic-9-game-trip-for-division-set-with-orioles-field-level-media-professional-sports-content-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/778269\/","title":{"rendered":"Rays return from historic 9-game trip for division set with Orioles – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Tampa Bay catcher Liam Hicks has only played eight games with the Rays, but the Canadian-born backstop is proving to be a winning acquisition by the organization.<\/p>\n

After a record-setting West Coast road trip that saw the top team in baseball win all nine games, the club returns to action within its division by hosting the Baltimore Orioles for four games starting Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.<\/p>\n

Acquired from the Miami Marlins, Hicks has provided additional power in the lineup\u2019s top four, joining Jonathan Aranda as the slugging bats hitting from the left side.<\/p>\n

In his first three series with the Rays, the 27-year-old is batting .308 with two homers and nine RBIs with a .438 on-base percentage.<\/p>\n

Notably, he slugged a grand slam in Denver in his first game with the team and launched a three-run shot in Wednesday\u2019s 8-4 victory over the Athletics, which improved the Rays to 9-0 on their cross-country trek.<\/p>\n

They became the first team from an Eastern division since the 1977 Boston Red Sox to sweep a nine-game road trip against three clubs in the West.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally happy with that,\u201d Hicks said of his first week. \u201cIt\u2019s a really fun group to be around. It\u2019s really exciting what we\u2019re doing on the field. \u2026 They\u2019ve made me feel like I\u2019ve been a part of the team since the second I came in. It\u2019s been an easy transition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay outscored the Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners and A\u2019s 65-34 in the nine contests, moved to 10-1 in August and improved their record to 74-46, best in the majors.<\/p>\n

The Orioles and Rays met six times in home-and-home three-game series in the latter half of May, and it was feast or famine both times, with each team sweeping at home.<\/p>\n

Baltimore missed a chance to move past Minnesota in the wild-card standings Wednesday, dropping two of three games against the Twins, including the series finale, 7-5, as starter Shane Baz (4-12) was rocked for five runs in three innings.<\/p>\n

Manager Craig Albernaz said his club failed to find gaps and did not put runners on base early in innings to create scoring opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had some pretty good swings that were just at people,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s all you can do and control: Put a good swing on it. \u2026 We had a tough time, especially later in the innings, getting the leadoff guy on. It\u2019s tough to get stuff going without getting the leadoff guy on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Left fielder Dylan Beavers blasted a three-run homer off winning pitcher Zebby Matthews in the third, putting the visitors ahead 4-1. However, the Twins answered with four runs in the bottom half against Baz.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Beavers) works, and we count on people who put in work (with him) behind the scenes. It was great to see him hit that three-run shot,\u201d Albernaz said.<\/p>\n

Neither club has announced a starter for Friday\u2019s opener.<\/p>\n

The Rays signed former Baltimore shortstop Jorge Mateo to a major league deal following the win in Sacramento, giving them more options in the middle infield with Ben Williamson (right hamstring) on the 10-day injured list.<\/p>\n

Mateo, 31, played five seasons with the O\u2019s but was released by the Atlanta Braves last week after hitting .240 with four homers, 11 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 65 games.<\/p>\n

\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n

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