2024 Sunburst Awards: Baltimore Orioles games 63-66
Rays fall to 31-35 after four game series at Tropicana Field
“Sunburst Awards” is a series-by-series evaluation of player performance, where four different awards are given out after each series: Offensive player of the series, defensive player of the series, pitcher of the series, and highlight play of the series. This edition will be covering the 21st series of the season, where the Tampa Bay Rays took on the Baltimore Orioles from June 7 to June 10, a four game series at Tropicana Field.
Rays come into four game series against Baltimore on a three game winning streak looking to get revenge on a series loss last week.
Game 1: Rays - 3 Orioles - 6 (recap)
Game 2: Rays - 0 Orioles - 5 (recap)
Game 3: Rays - 2 Orioles - 9 (recap)
Game 4: Rays - 2 Orioles 5 (recap)
Offensive Sunburst Award: Yandy Diaz
Diaz deserves a thank you from every Rays fan this week for being the reason this offense wasn’t the subject of a perfect game on Saturday, recording the only two hits of the game in a 5-0 loss.
Outside of that game, Diaz was the only player to consistently contribute offensively, with seven hits, two runs and just two strikeouts. It’s not a phenomenal performance, but with how embarrassing this offense has been to watch, it felt like an all timer.
Diaz now has five Offensive Sunbursts, two ahead of the next Ray Isaac Paredes.
Pitching Sunburst Award: Taj Bradley
Bradley once again came through with an elite day on the mound for the Rays, going five innings allowing just one run and three hits while picking up seven strikeouts on the day.
The Rays were frustratingly unable to give Bradley any support, recording just two hits en route to being shut out in the city connects. Bradley now has 39 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched.
Defensive Sunburst Award: Ball Boy
This was the happiest I’ve been watching the Rays defense all series. Enjoy this gnarly ball boy catch in game four.
Highlight Sunburst Award: ALEX JACKSON
Jackson has been catching a lot of heat online for his woes at the plate, as he’s currently on pace to put up one of the worst offensive seasons in MLB history. However, all of that criticism was wiped away in game four when he crushed a two-run home run in game four to give the Rays a short lived 2-1 lead.
The long bomb was his first of the year and fourth of his career, as well as his fourth RBI of the season to earn Jackson his first ever Sunburst Award.
Conclusion
To everyone’s relief, the Rays will not have to face the Os until August, they will however be facing the Chicago Cubs next in a three game series at home from Tuesday to Thursday. First pitch tomorrow is at 6:50 where the Rays look to avoid extending their losing streak to four games.