Tampa Bay Rays Vs. Bucs
September 23rd, 2026
What a contrast it was last night to see the Rays’ killer instinct on display in New York as they clinched the best record in the American League and home field advantage on their path to the World Series (hopefully).
Killer instinct! It’s what Todd Bowles said the Bucs needed desperately prior to the 2025 season. That’s 2025, not 2026.
First, “this Joe” nearly teared up when the Rays pulled an old school bunt single to seize what became the winning run (video below). And then a key insurance run in their taking out of the Yankees came after an aggressive wave home of a runner by the third base coach on an outfield hit.
It sure was a weird few days to be a fan of Tampa Bay sports. The Bucs literally hit rock bottom, losing to the Browns at home, while the Rays capped off their improbably regular season.
This cannot be good for Bucs ticket sales. And yes, Joe saw all those thousands of pre-rain empty seats at The Licht House on Sunday.
Perfectly Taylored 🤌 pic.twitter.com/aARP1td10g
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 23, 2026
Goggles required 🥽 pic.twitter.com/3F4U1fczH5
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 23, 2026
September 23rd, 2026 at 9:55 am
And everyone was expecting the Rays to be at the bottom after the roster changes in the offseason. The Bucs came in with more excitement because of their offseason moves.
This is a Tale of 2 Extremely Different Stories. (Public Announcement) Publix is out of paper bags for head covers. I do not recommend using plastic.
September 23rd, 2026 at 9:58 am
No one cares about the Rays or the Bucs.
This markets fanbase is pathetic
September 23rd, 2026 at 10:05 am
A lot of people care about the rays wtf are you talking about?
September 23rd, 2026 at 10:09 am
I care and I’m not “no one”!
There’s a big difference in the ownership and front offices of these two franchises. That’s where the difference lies
September 23rd, 2026 at 10:14 am
Fire the cannons and fire Todd you have a very low iq and are definitely brainless
September 23rd, 2026 at 10:15 am
Despite having the 23rd lowest payroll and being outspent by nearly $200 million by the Yankees, the Rays GM put a championship caliber team on the field.
Wish my St Louis Cardinals had a GM like that!
But even worse I wish Bud Licht could construct a team that good.
Unfortunately he is the Todd Bowles of GM’s.
TB12 made a fool look intelligent.
September 23rd, 2026 at 10:27 am
One team is dynamic and the other is complacent.
September 23rd, 2026 at 10:44 am
Two for the price of one! I became a Bucs fan 3 years ago and now I’m becoming a Rays fan. That’s a good baseball team.
September 23rd, 2026 at 10:46 am
I watched the postgame interview with Kevin Cash.
Quote from Cash: “Good teams find ways to win winnable games.”
About that, Todd…
September 23rd, 2026 at 11:04 am
Avast Joe! Glad you are back watching baseball again, Joeraysfan coming soon?
September 23rd, 2026 at 11:11 am
Bucs ownership is loyal to a fault and has not seen how underachieving this franchise has been since Bowles became coach. His best year he had a genius OC that should be the Bucs head coach right now.
September 23rd, 2026 at 11:29 am
When they refused to fire Bowles after last seasons collapse, I waived the white flag and gave up 6 club tickets after years, and know of many other who did the same.
This is gonna cost them for a few years for
Sure
September 23rd, 2026 at 11:43 am
Rays up. Kevin Cash should be manager of the year but it will go to the BoSox manager who took over midseason and got the Sox from the basement to the playoffs.. I have been to a few games at the Trop this year, good experience overall and the team plays with heart, unlike the Bucs Junior Caminaro could be MVP.
OTOH, Bowles has the Bucs in check out mode already, pathetic. I will be paying far more attention to the Rays than the Bucs from now until October. Bring on either the Yankmes or BoSox, the Rays will be rested and ready. What a miracle season. This could never happen with the Bucs under Bowles. Lets go Rays. Bowles, you should resign. Baker, you are a fraud and Vea, you are an obese loaf. Rays all da way!!!!! What a team!
September 23rd, 2026 at 11:53 am
What a beautifully executed bunt. Love my Rays!
September 23rd, 2026 at 12:11 pm
Fire The Cannons & Fire Todd Says:
No one cares about the Rays or the Bucs.
This markets fanbase is pathetic
*****************
For over a decade + the Bucs had a very long string of consecutive sellouts at RJS. Just like any other market – any market – the fans tune out when the losses pile up.
As far as the Rays go, they built a concrete tomb in a place that takes more than an hour to drive to from most of Tampa. St Pete was the worst city in Florida to base that team in, and they’ve suffered for 30 years because of it.
September 23rd, 2026 at 12:32 pm
Plunge Todd into the Bowles and flush. Fire the Krakom!
September 23rd, 2026 at 12:35 pm
1st the Rays unveiled the new unis, then they went out and captured 1st place in the AL!!!!!
hopefully they can go all the way!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 23rd, 2026 at 12:40 pm
Its just a mirage for the rays it will be either the Yankees, boston or the whitesox maybe but the rays gonna run out of luck everything in tampa sucks from the people to the city to the teams but especially the people you are the worst in the human race
September 23rd, 2026 at 12:46 pm
LouisFriend Says:….”As far as the Rays go, they built a concrete tomb in a place that takes more than an hour to drive to from most of Tampa. St Pete was the worst city in Florida to base that team in, and they’ve suffered for 30 years because of it”
The stadium was built long before a franchise was ever awarded. Growing up in Treasure Island and Madeira Bch, I can remember in the 80’s and 90’s how The St Pete group went after a team for years, even purchased the San Francisco Giants, but MLB would not allow it. The St Pete group went after several teams, but MLB just would not allow a team to be purchased and moved to St Pete. I have lived in Hillsborough county now for many years, and agree it is far better to have a team geographically in Tampa. If a Tampa group would have pursued a MLB team and built a stadium ahead of time like the St Pete group did, then Baseball would have been in Tampa from the start back in 1998. If you look at the history of Pinellas County and all the teams training there over the last 100 years, it was different in Pinellas county than Tampa, with so many teams training every year. Again I agree with the location is not great, but there is a lot of history as to why the Rays started there and not Tampa. GO BUCS!!! GO RAYS!!!!
September 23rd, 2026 at 1:15 pm
Lokog, Philly is a place you should go live…. you might find what you are talking about
September 23rd, 2026 at 1:20 pm
One has a ringer GM, the other has a GM with a ring in his nose. Bovine don’t lead, they are led
September 23rd, 2026 at 1:27 pm
Coaching matters. It isn’t how much you pay guys it is how they are coached.
September 23rd, 2026 at 2:15 pm
MLB is slowly but surely awakening and starting to return to the “old ways”. They must do so because they ruined the game and they know it. If they get their act together and with the new stadium I just might become a baseball fan again.
I see no light at the end of the tunnel for the NFL.
Hockey still remains relatively pure and true to it’s roots.
Go Bolts and Rays. I may watch again someday.
Flatulence remains synonymous with the Bucs.
September 23rd, 2026 at 2:19 pm
Thank you, Joe. I’ve been sneaking in comments about the Rays from time-to-time. Glad to see you’re a fan. This team’s over total was 78 and many touts rated them last in the American League. They started the year 2-5. They get almost no national attention. But they have great management and Cash is simply the best. They bunt, they steal, they play old school. They can beat you with pitching or go long ball. They have about the lowest payroll in the league. BUT THEY ARE A TEAM! They love each other and they play like it.
September 23rd, 2026 at 2:32 pm
franchise qb in that pic. i think glazers were enamored with the idea of having a franchise qb . dont think the bucs really have had one like baker where he actually wants to be here. signing him was more of a business decision than just xs and os. fanbase trying to run the only qb out of town that likes it here. lets give him a team like the seahawks gave darnold with jsn, kenneth walker, defensive mastermind as head coach and a coordinator who has the raiders 2-0. baker deserves something to work with before he gets run out of town. dude has 2 crappy coaches and godwin aint no jsn.
September 23rd, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Can we please have the return of “joeraysfan.com”? It’s desperately needed. 🙂
September 23rd, 2026 at 2:59 pm
Oh right, the Rays – I forgot they existed.
September 23rd, 2026 at 3:00 pm
I literally had the TV on watching the preseason Lightning game in Nashville, that’s how little I care about dumb, boring, baseball. I completely forgot the Rays were even playing.
September 23rd, 2026 at 4:37 pm
Baker is watching a real team in tha pic. He’s such a con artist
September 23rd, 2026 at 5:07 pm
@ Lokog Says: “Its just a mirage for the rays it will be either the Yankees, boston or the whitesox maybe but the rays gonna run out of luck everything in tampa sucks from the people to the city to the teams but especially the people you are the worst in the human race”
Awe, poor widdle ole “Baker-Boi” Bro, got his widdle feelins hutt, and changed his username. Hahahahahahhhh How Pathetic. Lmao