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The Tampa Bay Rays are one team that you can never count out, and that has certainly been the case this year. While they don't have the same star power that other teams in the division have, they still get the job done.
They have been near or at the top of the AL East standings all season long, and that's largely thanks to the offense and a solid pitching staff. The offense holds the third-highest team batting average while the pitching staff holds the eighth-lowest team ERA.
And while they have played well, fans are also anticipating the upcoming MLB Draft, where they were awarded the No. 2 pick. So, it's a great time to be a Tampa Bay fan right now.
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Junior Caminero continues to shine as the Rays climb up the power rankings
Last week, the Rays had a schedule they could take advantage of. They faced off against the Kansas City Royals, who have largely struggled this year.
They were able to easily take care of business, sweeping the Royals, but it would be a different story with their other series against the Houston Astros later in the week.
They could only muster one win, losing the series 1-2, but it was still a good enough week to push them up the power rankings, according to Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller. He moves them up one spot from No. 6 to No. 5.
"The Junior Caminero Show continued in earnest this week, as four more home runs brought his total to 11 in the span of 11 games. He was also the first player to officially join the home run derby field, making that announcement amid Tampa Bay's nine-game winning streak. Despite losing to the Astros on both Saturday and Sunday, the Rays have opened a [three-game] lead in the AL East."
This week will be a big one for the Rays as they continue their four-game series against the New York Yankees, which started on Monday. Then it's a series against the Seattle Mariners before the team has a much-needed break with the All-Star Game activities.
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