Rays beat Jays again, reach quarter mark of season at AL-best 27-13
TORONTO - The Rays were doing all their Rays things on Monday.
They played small ball to take an early lead, with Chandler Simpson leading the way, hustling his way on base four times and creating three runs, though later leaving the game with a left leg issue.
They flexed some muscle when American League RBI leader Jonathan Aranda hit a fifth-inning homer.
They got a solid six-inning start from Drew Rasmussen. The usual quality relief work to preserve the lead. And the daily dose of defense, with centerfielder Cedric Mullins running down a deep drive in the ninth.
As a result, they also got another win similar to many of their others in beating the Blue Jays 8-5.
"Yeah, it definitely felt like that," manager Kevin Cash said. "Just happy with the guys the way they continue to come out and focus really hard and have success doing their job."
In doing so, the Rays reached the quarter point of their season at 27-13, the best record in the American League, and just a win behind the Braves overall.
"I'd like to keep this pace going," Rasmussen said. "I think we're going to be in a really good spot if we can do that, we can win two games out of every three.
"We're playing really well. We're having a lot of fun as a group, which I really think helps. And we're doing it in different ways. We scored eight runs (Monday). That's awesome to see. The run the bullpen's been on has been incredible. It really helps out the starting staff, that's for sure. If we can just stay competitive as a starting staff, turn the ball over to those guys, we would really like our chances of winning."
The Rays have been on quite a roll, winning for the ninth time in their last 10 games, 15th in 17 and 25th in 33. Their 27-13 record matches their third best through 40 games; the other came in the 2020 season when limited to 60 games due to COVID. They were better in 2023 (30-10) and 2010 (29-11).
"I think it's just kind of how united we are and the different types of ways that we can play, all the combinations that we have - playing small ball, playing with power," said Aranda, via team interpreter Kevin Vera. "I think that's the biggest thing. That's the best thing about this team. You look back at it, and everyone's doing their part. Everyone's really united, and that's what's worked for us so far."
They took care of things Monday from the start, scoring three in the first inning.
Simpson got them started by hitting a slow grounder toward the mound and racing to first for an infield single. A Junior Caminero single and an Aranda sac fly produced one run, and after a two-out double by Jake Fraley, a first-pitch single by Richie Palacios, in his first at-bat since Tuesday, made it 3-0.
"Probably the biggest hit of the game," Cash said.
With the Rays facing a run of lefty starters, neither Palacios nor Fraley had gotten much opportunity so they were glad to contribute.
"I've been swinging a bat in the cage, but not in the game," Palacios said. "So I was excited to get a hit there."
The Rays pushed the lead to 5-0 in the second. Hunter Feduccia singled and Taylor Walls tripled in one run. Simpson reached on a fielder's choice grounder (as Walls was thrown out at home), stole second, went to third on an infield out and scored on Aranda's single.
The run Simpson created in the fourth was even more impressive.
He bounced a ball toward first that was fielded by Vlad Guerrero Jr and flipped to starter Kevin Gausman, but Simpson simply outraced him to the base.
The threat of him stealing lead Gausman to commit a disengagement violation, creating a free pass to second. Simpson then stole third, and the rushed throw from catcher Brandon Valenzuela sailed into leftfield, allowing Simpson to score.
"We all got a chuckle when he got the first base, like just how fast he gets down the line," Cash said. "I think both teams were sitting there saying, ‘Wow.' He gets to second base, and they were with two outs positioned off of him, not holding him on. He took advantage of it, and that's a lot for a catcher to throw down there when it's bang-bang and (we) picked up that run."
Aranda homered in the fifth for his 32nd RBI. Of 32 career homers, he has hit 10 against the Jays and six at the Rogers Centre. Palacios singled in another run in the seventh.
Rasmussen basically made one mistake in reaching the 100-pitch mark for the first time since his August 2024 return from a third major elbow surgery, allowing a three-run homer in the second to Andres Gimenez, the typically light-hitting Jays shortstop.
Gimenez also hit a two-run homer in the seventh off reliever Ian Seymour for his first career multi-homer game.
"We've had a lot of fun on the baseball field," Tuesday starter Shane McClanahan said before the game. "Obviously playoffs are the goal. We are a quarter of the way through the season. We're not worried about that. We're worried about today and tomorrow, and you focus on that stuff and it'll all take care of itself."
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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 10:17 PM.