MLB Fans Mock Rays Offense After 7-1 Game 2 Loss, Sweep to Rangers in Wild Card Round

The Tampa Bay Rays were swept out of the MLB Wild Card Round for the second straight season after suffering a 7-1 loss to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

Four errors contributed to Tampa Bay's Game 1 loss, but it didn't help that the offense mustered six hits and failed to cross the plate once. Game 2 was more of the same in that regard as the Rays finished with eight hits, the majority of which came after they found themselves in a deep hole.

The front office has found a recipe for success in the regular season, with five consecutive postseason trips and counting. But this is the fourth time during the current run the Rays have been dispatched in the Wild Card Round or Division Series.

Wednesday helps to explain why this keeps happening.

The Rangers, on the other hand, are seeing the money they've invested in upgrading the MLB roster provide major dividends.

Nathan Eovaldi, who signed a two-year, $34 million contract ahead of this season, went 6.2 innings and struck out eight batters with zero walks.

Corey Seager, the $325 million man, is adding to what has been the best year of his career. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in Game 2. His double followed a two-bagger by Marcus Semien, the other marquee signing for Texas in the 2022 offseason.

And yet, Evan Carter might prove to be the Rangers' October hero. The 21-year-old rookie hit a two-run home run in the fourth to put them up 4-0, which was the sixth straight plate appearance in which he safely reached base.

Wednesday's game yet again left one wondering where the Rays might be if they weren't committed to running one of MLB's lowest payrolls every single year. They certainly could've used somebody like Semien or Seager to anchor their lineup.

It feels like Tampa Bay is doomed to meet a similar fate in 2024 if ownership is content to maintain the status quo while focusing its efforts on a new stadium.