To the surprise of Tampa Bay Rays fans, news came out of teammates Yandy Diaz and Randy Arozarena getting into a scuffle Monday night. The incident occurred after the Rays' 4-0 loss against the Houston Astros. It is being reported that the two got into a physical altercation and had to be separated in the team's parking lot.
Neither Diaz nor Arozarena were in the lineup for Tuesday's matchup against the Astros. The Rays were shutout in that game as well, losing 5-0. Considering the team's recent offensive struggles and now teammates fighting, Tampa Bay fans are fed up.
The Tampa Bay Rays are at a crucial juncture of the season as they fight for an American League Wild Card spot. They have a 82-66 record going into Wednesday, which is good for a second Wild Card spot.
They cannot afford to let the wheels fall off with the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox still hanging around.
The details around why the two started arguing are unclear, but fans will hope it is out of their systems. If not, this could deter the team's postseason fight.
Some fans believe that this is nothing other than a brotherly fight and they'll both bounce back and be fine. Given how long a season is, it isn't surprising for two teammates to have a go at each other coming down to the final stretch.
Some fans just want to know the details of the altercation. With both players playing well this season, they don't believe it's about their performances. The Rays won't fare too well by keeping both out of the lineup indefinitely.
Fans noticed Randy Arozarena sitting in the bullpen during Tuesday's game. So, it seems the issue hasn't been completely settled yet. If this lingers for some time, the Tampa Bay Rays could blow their opportunity to play meaningful October baseball.
The Tampa Bay Rays have one of the hardest schedules to close out the year
The Tampa Bay Rays have one of the toughest schedules to close out the regular season. They finish the series against the Houston Astros on Wednesday night. After that, they start another tough series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays hold the first Wild Card spot in the AL.
After the Blue Jays, Tampa Bay will face the Cleveland Guardians. The Rays will play the Astros again, before closing out their season against the Boston Red Sox.