The SF Giants will have to wait until 2027 to break one Tampa Bay Rays trend

The SF Giants dropped the first two games of the series against the Tampa Bay Rays, marking another series defeat. They will have to wait until 2027 to try an get a series victory against Tampa Bay, which they have not done since 2016.

The SF Giants will have to wait until 2027 to break one Tampa Bay trend

The bats went silent through the first two games of the series, as they put up just one run in 18 innings. While there have been issues across the board that have contributed to their 13 - 20 start, it is hard to focus on anything else if the offense does not give the team any run support.

The Giants and Rays are an interesting matchup. It is a sharp contrast in styles to building rosters. On one hand, the Giants have the financial strength to be able to land players such as Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and Rafael Devers. The combined investment in those three players exceeds $500 million.

On the other hand, the Rays are often viewed as one of the smartest teams in baseball. They do not have the financial strength to lean on like San Francisco, so they look all around the roster for advantages,. Oftentimes, they are the trend setters in baseball in trying to gain a competitive advantage. The agressive use of openers is one example of that.

More than anything, Tampa Bay poses a matchup problem for teams. That is especially true for the Giants. The last time the Giants won a series against the Rays was in 2016. Do you remember how good life was back then?

The Giants were fresh off winning three titles in five years. They were making a push to reach the playoffs again, and swept Tampa Bay in the process. Unfortunately, it has been almost entirely downhill since then. The Giants slumped in the second half of that season and have not regained their footing since then, except for the 2021 season.

This series defeat marks the fifth straight series loss to the Rays. The schedule has changed in recent years, where teams are now facing every opponent each year. That was not always the case. The Giants would only face off against the AL East every three years. There was a novelty to playing the Rays that is no longer apparent.

Nevertheless, the Giants will continue their streak of series losses against the Rays. That trend will continue into 2027. That is, unless the Giants and Rays face off in the World Series this year...

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