The MLB Postseason began on Tuesday, and the Tampa Bay Rays were frazzled. The Rays struggled mightily all afternoon at Tropicana Field against the Texas Rangers. Their struggles weren’t exclusive to the batter’s box, though. They didn’t score any runs, and the Rays also committed a plethora of errors.
Four errors, to be precise. The Rays fell 4-0 to the Rangers, but the linescore showed a more brutal number: Their four errors were too much to climb over. Texas may have committed just one, but it did not prevent them from winning the game. For the Rays? It didn’t go so great.
The Rays also made dubious franchise history. Never before, and for their sake, hopefully never again, had the Rays committed four errors in a single playoff game. Until Tuesday.
The Rays have committed four errors in a playoff game for the first time in franchise history pic.twitter.com/GwbknOTL9y
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 3, 2023
With the Best-of-3 nature to these Wild Card series, this performance puts the Rays on the brink of elimination. The Rangers went into the Trop fearlessly and were the better team from bell to bell. Texas could make quick work of Tampa Bay on Wednesday if they are to defeat them again.
If Tampa goes down? Well, you can point to this performance as where it all started to spiral. It’s not ideal, but now Tampa has to win two in a row to get to the American League Division Series. The winner of this series will play the top-seeded Baltimore Orioles.
The MLB world had plenty to say about Tampa Bay’s horrific Game 1 performance.
Did not anticipate the Rays having 2 errors and 2 bunt attempts after 2 innings. One’s unfortunate (for them), the other inexcusable.
— Tim Cowlishaw (@TimCowlishaw) October 3, 2023
rays committed 4 errors?! what an unserious team
— TripleChampSidro #MPE (@SiDonTrip) October 3, 2023
A horror show by my @RaysBaseball – 4 errors & the bats made Jordan Montgomery look like SANDY KOUFAX – wow must now win 2 straight vs this very talented @Rangers Team . Don’t count my Rays out yet . Yes Texas skipper is smiling – I don’t blame him! @TBTimes_Rays @romano_tbtimes pic.twitter.com/g4XIAjN3Ae
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) October 3, 2023
O’s broke them at the end😤 https://t.co/baN1kGzOnI
— maybe: julia (@jvIias) October 3, 2023
I blame the eternal jinx that is those Devil Rays uniforms https://t.co/JytyC2WH81
— You Bunch Of Marks (@youbunchofmarks) October 3, 2023