Rays lose to AL-worst White Sox

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on Sep 10, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CHICAGO — A team that says it’s going all out to win every game in a bid to make the postseason can’t load the bases on three walks to start the second inning and not get any runs.

Nor can that team allow five runs in the bottom of the inning by letting six of seven batters, and five straight, reach base.

Nor get two runners into scoring position with one out in the ninth and its three best hitters due up and not score.

Nor — not to be disrespectful — lose a game it has to win against the Chicago White Sox, who have the worst record in the American League and second worst in the majors.

But the Rays managed to do all of that Wednesday in a 6-5 defeat that, though not officially, may have sealed their fate.

The Rays dropped to 72-73 and, pending how the Mariners (who currently hold the third American League wild card) do in a late game, potentially 5 1/2 games back with 17 to play. Two of the three teams between the Rays and Mariners — the Rangers and Royals — each won Wednesday.

The Rays got off to a good start when No. 2 hitter Yandy Diaz delivered his career-high 23rd home run in the first.

With Ryan Pepiot scratched from the start due to “total body fatigue” and workload concerns, the Rays opted to run a bullpen game. While the different looks can be challenging for the other team, there also is the risk of the game being significantly impacted by a single reliever having a bad night.

That was rookie lefty Mason Montgomery, who allowed five runs in a brutal second inning he couldn’t even finish. Montgomery got two of the first three Sox out, but the next five all reached in an inning that went like this: strikeout, single, flyout, bunt single, double, double, walk, double, new pitcher.

The Sox extended the lead to 6-1 in the third when Andrew Benintendi homered with two outs off Kevin Kelly.

The Rays closed the gap with a three-run fifth. Rookie Carson Williams led off with a homer, his third in 16 games. Diaz singled with one out, and after another out Junior Caminero delivered his 42 homer.

Caminero is now four from tying the Rays franchise record set in 2007 by Carlos Pena, who is expected to be at Wrigley Field for the weekend series in his role with the Cubs TV crew.

The Rays got to 6-5 in the sixth when Richie Palacios walked with one out, stole second and scored on a pinch-hit single by Hunter Feduccia.

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