The Tampa Bay Rays wrapped up their West Coast road trip on a high note Wednesday afternoon, edging out the Los Angeles Angels 5–4 in a thrilling series finale at Angel Stadium. With the victory, Tampa Bay clinched the series 2–1 and extended their winning streak to four games—matching their longest of the season.
Junior Caminero put on a show, belting two home runs to bring his season total to 30. The 21-year-old phenom continues to prove why he’s considered one of the league’s most dangerous young hitters. His first blast came in the 2nd inning, and he followed up with a towering shot in the 6th that pulled the Rays within a run.
Then, in the 7th inning, Christopher Morel came through with the go-ahead solo homer, pushing the Rays ahead for good. Nick Fortes added a homer of his own, and Jonny DeLuca contributed with a key triple that kept pressure on the Angels’ pitchers all afternoon.
But perhaps the most impressive storyline of the game was the Rays’ bullpen, which combined for 16 strikeouts in a dominant display of late-game pitching. After starter Zach Eflin exited early, Tampa Bay leaned heavily on a mix of arms—including recent acquisition Griffin Jax, who struck out the side in the 8th inning.
“We fought hard,” manager Kevin Cash said postgame. “The guys kept battling, and the bullpen was lights out. Caminero’s just continuing to do incredible things.”
Aranda Injury Casts Shadow on Team Momentum
Despite the win, the Rays are facing a tough blow with the loss of All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda, who landed on the 10-day Injured List earlier this week due to a fractured wrist sustained in a collision with Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Aranda described the injury as “not catastrophic,” but he is expected to miss several weeks, with a return hoped for sometime in September.
“It’s frustrating,” Aranda told reporters. “I want to be out there with the guys, especially during this push. But I’ll be back.”
In Aranda’s absence, the Rays have shuffled their infield, giving more playing time to Isaac Paredes and Harold Ramírez.
Trade Deadline Moves Already Paying Off
At the trade deadline, Tampa Bay made strategic moves to strengthen their pitching staff, acquiring Griffin Jax from the Twins and Adrian Houser from the White Sox. Both pitchers bring valuable postseason experience and versatility—Jax as a high-leverage reliever and Houser as a reliable back-end starter or long man.
Wednesday’s win showcased the potential impact of those additions, with Jax delivering a flawless eighth inning and Houser expected to get the start in the upcoming series.
Rays Climbing the AL East Standings
The Rays now sit at 25–26, third in the AL East, and continue to chip away at the division lead. With strong momentum and a revamped pitching staff, Tampa Bay looks poised to make a serious run down the stretch.
Their next test comes this weekend as they return home to face the surging Cleveland Guardians in a three-game series.
Up Next:
📍 Rays vs. Guardians – Friday, August 8, 2025
📺 Coverage begins at 6:40 PM ET
