The so-called “Citrus Bowl” baseball chain-which ends with a rubber match of a three-game set between Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon and tours Tampa Bay Rays-is known for things.
Apart from both teams from Florida, Tampa Bay and Miami have other similarities. For example, both teams have down-five payrolls.
According to Spotrak, Tampa Bay Number 28 ($ 90.4 million) comes in total payroll allocation. Miami is 29 out of 30 teams ($ 67.3 million).
Another thing that connects these franchisees is Marlins President Peter Bendix of baseball operation. He was earlier part of the Tampa Bay Front Office and served as General Manager for two sessions before Miami arrived.
In fact, the rays created the playoffs in the last five sessions of Bendix in Tampa Bay.
Then, in 2024 – his first season in Miami – Marlins acquired possibilities by trading giants by veterans like Jazz Chisholm Junior, Luis Arrez, Tanner Scott, Josh Bell, AJ Puk and Trever Rogers.
Meanwhile, without bendix last year, the rays increased to 80–82, failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
“The rays have the ability to maximize and receive the maximum on their roses,” Kleton McCullad, manager of Marlins. “They keep doing a good job of bringing people through their system … and in some ways, they are like us.”
On Sunday, both teams will start the right hand. Shane Baz (3–2, 5.02 ERA) will get a node for Tampa Bay, while Cal Quantril (2-4, 7.00) will start for Miami.
Four careers with Quantrill 1-0 appear against Tampa Bay with 2.31 ERA initially.
He has zero starting this season, and he has not moved into 5 2/3 innings in any of those eight performances.
Tilked 26 years old in June, 1-0 with 0.00 ERA in the presence of one of his careers against Miami. He started the 3–2 win in September 2021 with nine strikes with just three hits and a 5 2/3 scorer innings with a walk.
In 2017, the first round pick (12th overall) by Pittsburgh Pirates, the eagle was acquired by Tampa Bay next year in Chris Archer Trade.
Baz made his MLB debut in 2021 but missed the 2023 season due to elbow surgery.
His best season was in 2024, starting a career-high 14 and started 4-3 with 3.06 ERA.
The BAZ has a plus slider and a fastball at the top of 96 mph. In this season, he is killing 9.6 batsmen per nine innings, which is an increase from his 7.8 state line last year.
The 27-year-old outfielder Kyle Stores has been a force for the crime of Marlins, as he leads the team in the batting average (.304), home run (10), RBI (30), Run (23) and on-base percentage (.379).
The stores were the second round of Baltimor Oraoles in 2019 and traded in Miami in July 2024, as well as an all-star in 2021 with the left-handed Rogers with Infielder Conner Norbi.
For the crime of rays, he has an interesting player in Chandler Simpson, a crook outfielder with great speed.
He is stealing nine in .301 with .671 Oms .301 and only 25 games in only 25 games.
Simpson hurt Tampa Bay’s 4–0 win on Saturday, left the game after diving into a home plate in an attempt to score.
Simpson, who was thrown at home, hit his head and his upper lip.
“He is fine,” Raz Manager Kevin Cash said after the game. “I just talked to him.”
Simpson, a 24 -year -old native of Atlanta, played for two years in the UAB and then led the college baseball at a batting average (.433) in one of his season at Georgia Tech. This inspired Tampa Bay to draft in the second round in 2022.
While he does not slip many homes, Simpson stole a .324 with 214 stolen at 250 Minor League Games. He stole 94 locations in 2023 and 104 locations last year.
Despite not starting his MLB till 19 April, Simpson already leads rays with 10 infields.
“Chandler is young,” said Cash. “But there are many things that she stimulates you.”
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