The injury-plagued Tampa Bay Rays face the Cincinnati Reds on July 25, 2025. With Brandon Lowe and Ha-Seong Kim hurt, can Zack Littell stop the slide?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It's a classic case of looking in the mirror. As the Tampa Bay Rays roll into Great American Ball Park tonight, they'll see the Cincinnati Reds, a team with an identical 53-50 record. But for a Rays squad that has stumbled through a rough 3-7 stretch in their last ten games, this series feels less like a meeting of equals and more like a gut-check moment that could define the second half of their season.
The Rays enter the series having lost 7 of their last 10 games, falling 8 games behind the division-leading Blue Jays.
The team's recent slide can't be discussed without addressing the infirmary. All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe is sidelined again, missing his second consecutive start with a frustrating plantar fasciitis flare-up just after returning from an oblique issue. Compounding the problem, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim's status for the series is up in the air after he left Monday's game with lower back tightness. Losing two key cogs in the infield puts immense pressure on the rest of the lineup and the team's defensive stability.
Tonight's 7:10 PM ET opener is the definition of a swing game. The Rays will hand the ball to Zack Littell (8-7, 3.53 ERA), who needs to deliver a strong outing to calm the waters. He'll face Cincinnati's Nick Martinez (8-9, 4.73 ERA). Offensively, the burden falls on the team's pillars: rookie sensation Junior Caminero, who leads the team with 26 homers and 68 RBIs, and the ever-consistent Jonathan Aranda, whose .318 average and .397 on-base percentage have been a bright spot. They'll need to produce to get the team back on track.
While the big league club fights for a playoff spot, the front office continues to work the margins. The recent acquisition of outfielder Stuart Fairchild from Atlanta for cash provides some much-needed depth. Further down the pipeline, the organization officially welcomed its newest arms, with 9th-round pick RHP Mason Nichols and 18th-round pick LHP Brayden Jones signing on. It's a reminder that even as the team fights for today, the Rays' famous talent pipeline is always being restocked for tomorrow.
This weekend in Cincinnati is more than just another series. It's a barometer. Can the Rays overcome their injuries and reverse this skid, or will they continue to tread water in the competitive American League? A strong showing could build momentum heading into the trade deadline, while a stumble could force the front office into some difficult decisions. All eyes are on the Rays to see if they can stop the bleeding and prove they're still a contender.
