The Tampa Bay Rays and Athletics open a three-game series Monday night in West Sacramento, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET. Freddy Peralta is set to make his second start for Tampa Bay, while Jacob Lopez will take the ball for the Athletics.
A matchup with different stakes
This series comes at a point when the two teams are heading in opposite directions. Tampa Bay has not trailed in the AL East since the end of June and is expected to finish with the AL's best record. The Rays also reached the playoffs in each season from 2019-2023 and won the AL pennant in 2020, which gives this run another chance to matter in a familiar way.
The Athletics, meanwhile, entered June 18 with an effective 50-50 chance of making the playoffs, but their season has changed quickly since then. They began a 7-25 stretch at the start of July, and their staff has been the league's worst since the All-Star break. The article says they will miss the playoffs again, which makes every series a chance to reset, even if the bigger picture remains bleak.
What to watch in West Sacramento
Peralta's start will be closely watched because it is only his second outing for Tampa Bay. Lopez gets the matchup for the Athletics as they continue to play from their temporary home, while the Rays are back at Tropicana Field after last season's unusual setup, when both clubs were away from their regular home stadiums.
There is still individual value here, even with the standings telling very different stories. The Rays want to keep building toward the top of the AL, while the Athletics are trying to stop the slide and find some stability before the season runs out.
Either way, Monday's opener offers a clear snapshot of where both teams stand in August: Tampa Bay chasing a top seed and the Athletics trying to avoid another lost stretch.
