The Tampa Bay Rays' 2010 season was their 13th season in Major League Baseball. They improved on their 84–78 record from 2009 by finishing the regular season 96–66, and qualifying for the postseason for the second time in history by winning their second American League East championship in three years. The Rays recorded winning records against every team in the American League except for one, the Kansas City Royals, with whom they tied the regular-season series.
Offseason Outfielder Gabe Kapler, who had been signed before the 2009 season to just a one-year contract, was re-signed to another one-year deal for $1.05 million on October 27, 2009.
Second baseman Akinori Iwamura was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for relief pitcher Jesse Chavez on November 3, 2009. Iwamura had a $4.85 million option for 2010, but with several other players in the organization who could fill the position, the Rays decided to part ways with Iwamura by trading him. Andrew Friedman, the Rays' Vice President of Baseball Operations, stated that it was "tough to put into words" what "Aki" meant to the Rays, who had been with the team since the 2006 season, and was the player who recorded the final out in the 2008 American League Championship Series that sent the Rays to their first World Series.
On November 9, 2009, the Rays chose to exercise the 2010 option of left fielder Carl Crawford, worth $10 million, but declined the options of relief pitcher Brian Shouse and catcher Gregg Zaun that would have been worth $2 million each.
The Rays acquired catcher Kelly Shoppach from the Cleveland Indians on December 1, 2009, for a player to be named later. That player turned out to be minor-league pitcher Mitch Talbot.
Jesse Chavez was dealt to the Atlanta Braves for relief pitcher Rafael Soriano on December 10, 2009.
The Rays had been in talks with the Chicago Cubs to send Pat Burrell to Chicago in exchange for Milton Bradley. Both players would make the same amount of money in 2010, but while Burrell would be at the end of his contract following the conclusion of the season, Bradley was owed $13 million in 2011, a price the Rays were not willing to take on all of. Unable to make an agreement on how to split the cost, the Cubs eventually sent Bradley to the Seattle Mariners on December 18, 2009.
First baseman Dan Johnson was signed to a $500,000 contract for one year on January 11. Johnson, who played the 2009 season in Japan's Central League, was regarded as a hero for the Rays in the 2008 season for his game-tying solo home run in the 9th inning of a game in early September against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Rays, who needed a win that night to keep their division lead over Boston, went on to do just that and eventually won the division.
Relief pitcher J. P. Howell, starting pitcher Matt Garza and shortstop Jason Bartlett all signed one-year contracts to avoid salary arbitration. Only center fielder B. J. Upton went to salary arbitration, though he did state he was interested in a long-term deal with the Rays. Upton's arbitration case was held on February 12. He asked for $3.3 million, but the case was awarded to the Rays, meaning he would make $3 million instead.
On February 3, 2010, the Rays signed reliever Mike Ekstrom, recently waived by the San Diego Padres, to a minor-league contract and placed him on the 40-man roster. Catcher Alvin Colina and reliever Heath Phillips were also signed to minor-league contracts and invited to spring training.
Organizational changes One day after the end of the 2008 season, the Rays let hitting coach Steve Henderson go. Quality assurance coach Todd Greene would not return either, as the position was eliminated. Derek Shelton was hired as the team's new hitting coach on October 21. Shelton had been with the Cleveland Indians in the previous five seasons.
On February 3, the Rays announced a naming deal with fertilizer manufacturer The Mosaic Company for Charlotte County Stadium, their spring training facility, changing its name to Mosaic Field at Charlotte Sports Park. However, after public opposition to this deal was made known, the plans were "deferred", and the stadium would continue to be known as Charlotte Sports Park.
Rocco Baldelli returned to the Rays on March 2 as a "special assistant" who would work with younger players. Baldelli stated that he hurt his shoulder in the previous season playing for the Boston Red Sox that may require surgery, and though he felt uncomfortable going into Spring training, he was "not ready to retire" and was hopeful to play again some day. Andrew Friedman, the Rays' Vice President of Baseball Operations, said that the one-year deal was not done with the intention of bringing Baldelli back as a player in 2010, but also said that "anything's possible."
Summary
Spring training Infielder Hank Blalock was signed to a minor-league contract on March 8. Blalock was first reported to be interested in signing with either the Rays or the Florida Marlins just days before the deal was made.
Catcher Dioner Navarro injured his left leg on March 20 during a game against the Minnesota Twins, after Twins outfielder Jacque Jones collided with him at the plate. Navarro was reported to be in serious pain and had to be carted off the field. Later that day it was announced that Navarro suffered a bruised nerve. The Rays said that the injury was not bad enough that it would cause Navarro to miss opening day.
The Rays finished spring training with a team record 20 wins, and had the highest win percentage of all teams in the league.
April On April 6, during the Rays' first game of the season, Evan Longoria hit a home run that landed in the left field upper deck seating of Tropicana Field. In doing so, Longoria became just the second player to hit a home run that landed in that upper deck section without hitting one of the stadium's catwalks, the first player being Vinny Castilla on April 4, 2001. Longoria's home run was also estimated to have gone 473 feet, making it the third longest home run in the stadium's history, behind a 474-foot home run by Jonny Gomes on July 9, 2005, and the aforementioned home run by Castilla, which traveled 478 feet.
The Rays began the season with a 10–3 record, their best start in franchise history. At one point in the first two weeks of the season, the Rays won seven consecutive games, all on the road. Included in this win streak was their first series sweep of more than two games against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Catcher Kelly Shoppach underwent right knee surgery on April 19 and was expected to be out for 4–6 weeks.
On April 23, Ben Zobrist was given a 5-year contract extension, with team options in both of the final two years of the contract.
Catcher Dioner Nivarro was given a two-game suspension on April 27 because of an on-field incident with umpire Dan Bellino that took place during a game on April 23. Navarro was ejected from that game by Bellino for arguing balls and strikes in the 6th inning, but before leaving the field, Navarro bumped chests with the umpire.
At the end of the month the Rays held the best record in the league at 17–6, and had a 1½ game lead in the division. The 17–6 record was the best in franchise history for the month of April, as well as the best April in league history since the New York Yankees went 21–6 in the 2003 season.
May Dallas Braden of the Oakland Athletics pitched the 19th perfect game in major league history against the Rays on May 9, the second time in less than a year that the Rays had been on the losing end of perfection. The first occurred on July 23, 2009, when Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox did not allow a single Rays batter to reach base, which was also the most recent perfect game pitched prior to Braden's. The Los Angeles Dodgers had been the only other franchise to be the losing team of consecutive perfect games pitched in the majors. No team who had a perfect game pitched against them had a higher winning percentage than the Rays did, who entered the game with a league-best 22–8 record.
On May 15, Pat Burrell was designated for assignment after another struggling start to the season. He would later clear waivers and become a free agent. The Rays called up Hank Blalock to replace him on the roster. Blalock's minor league contract included an out clause that his agent Scott Boras stated he would activate within the next week, which would force the Rays to either promote him or let him become a free agent. However Andrew Friedman, Executive Vice President of the Rays, said that this was not a factor in the decision to bring him up.
Having already missed the start of the season, relief pitcher J. P. Howell threw in a simulated game, but was forced to stop after only 12 pitches. After being examined by the Rays' head athletic trainer, manager Joe Maddon talked to reporters saying that Howell had a "definite setback." On May 19 it was announced that Howell underwent surgery on his left shoulder, and would miss the entire 2010 season.
Shortstop Jason Bartlett suffered a "mild" right hamstring strain during a game on May 29 as he attempted to field a ground ball hit into center field. He was reported as day-to-day, expected to miss at least the next game. A few days later it was revealed that there was a chance he would be placed on the disabled list, and on June 3, that was the decision made.
The Rays went 17–12 in May, improving their league-best record to 34–18, and held a 2½ game division lead.
June Catcher Kelly Shoppach was brought up from his Triple-A rehab assignment on June 3.
In the 2010 MLB draft, the Rays used their first selection (17th overall) on Josh Sale, an outfielder out of Bishop Blanchet High School, located in Seattle, Washington. His signing was officially announced by the team on the morning of August 17.
Outfielder Gabe Kapler was put on the disabled list on June 12 for a hip flexor strain. Justin Ruggiano was called up to take the open spot on the roster. Ruggiano wouldn't stay long however, being sent back down when Jason Bartlett was activated from the disabled list on June 15.
On June 12, Carlos Peña hit a home run for the sixth consecutive game. This broke the team record for homers in consecutive games, set by Jose Canseco, who went deep in five straight games during the 1999 season. Peña's streak was snapped the next day, going hitless in four at-bats. Peña had been struggling throughout the season offensively, and some called for him to be benched as recently as the week prior.
Dioner Navarro was optioned to triple-A Durham on June 24. Left fielder Carl Crawford was removed from that day's game with soreness in his shoulder and reported as day-to-day, so outfielder Matt Joyce was called up to take the open spot on the roster.
On June 25, the Rays were once again unable to record a base hit in a game, this time in a 1–0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The pitcher who threw the no-hitter was Edwin Jackson, who spent four seasons with the Rays until being traded after the 2008 season. This was the third no-hitter pitched against the Rays in less than a year, however unlike the previous two, this was not a perfect game, as 10 batters reached base by virtue of a walk, error, or hit by pitch. The Rays became the first team to be no-hit twice in the same season since the San Diego Padres in 2001.
Once Gabe Kapler was able to be activated from the disabled list, the Rays needed to make a cut on June 29. Hank Blalock was chosen to be designated for assignment. Manager Joe Maddon praised Blalock for his work ethic, professionalism, and the impact he had in the clubhouse, but said there just weren't enough opportunities for him with the team.
In the month of June, the Rays went 11–14. Dropping to 45–32 overall at the end of the month, they entered July two games behind the division lead.
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