The Tampa Bay Rays 2018 season was the Rays' 21st season of Major League Baseball, and the 11th as the "Rays" (all at Tropicana Field). The Rays played this season with few starting pitchers. Many games were started by pitchers normally used in relief, referred to as openers. This approach saw the Rays set MLB single season records for most no decisions by starters (91) and most wins by relievers (55). They finished the season with a 90–72 record, their first winning season since 2013; however, for the fifth consecutive year, they failed to make the postseason. This was because the Red Sox had 108 wins for the division title, while the Yankees had 100 wins and the Athletics had 97 wins for the wild card.
Offseason On December 11, 2017, the Rays acquired Joey Wendle in a trade in exchange for a player to be named later. One day later, the Rays traded minor leaguer Deion Tansel to the San Diego Padres for Ryan Schimpf.
On December 20, 2017, the Rays traded longtime franchise player Evan Longoria to the San Francisco Giants for Denard Span, Christian Arroyo, and two other prospects.
On February 21, 2018, the Rays were involved in a three team trade, trading Steven Souza Jr. to the Arizona Diamondbacks and receiving Anthony Banda and two players to be named later, from the Diamondbacks and Nick Solak from the New York Yankees. The next day, the Rays traded Corey Dickerson to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Daniel Hudson, minor leaguer Tristan Gray, and $1 million.
Season standings
American League East
American League Wild Card
Record against opponents
Detailed records
American League Opponent Home Away Total Pct. AL East Baltimore Orioles 7-2 4-6 11-8 Boston Red Sox 5-5 3-6 8-11 New York Yankees 6-4 3-6 9-10 Toronto Blue Jays 7-2 6-4 13-6 Tampa Bay Rays - - - 27-13 16-22 43-35 AL Central Detroit Tigers 3-0 1-2 4-2 Cleveland Indians 2-1 2-1 4-2 Kansas City Royals 4-0 3-0 7-0 Minnesota Twins 3-0 1-3 4-3 Chicago White Sox 0-3 2-1 2-4 12–4 9–7 21–11 AL West Oakland Athletics 2–1 3–1 5–2 Houston Astros 3-1 1–2 4–3 Los Angeles Angels 3-0 3–1 6–1 Seattle Mariners 1–3 0–3 1–6 Texas Rangers 2–1 3–0 5–1 11–6 10–7 21–13
National League Opponent Home Away Total Pct. Washington Nationals 2-0 0–2 2–2 New York Mets - 2–1 2–1 Atlanta Braves 0-2 1-1 1–3 Philadelphia Phillies 0-3 - 0-3 Miami Marlins 1-2 1-2 2–4 3–8 4–5 7–13
Game log Legend Rays win Rays loss PostponementBoldRays team member
|-style="background:#bfb" | 1 || March 29 || Red Sox || 6–4 || Pruitt (1–0) || Smith (0–1) || Colomé (1) || 31,042 || 1–0 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 2 || March 30 || Red Sox || 0–1 || Price (1–0) || Roe (0–1) || Kimbrel (1) || 19,203 || 1–1 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 3 || March 31 || Red Sox || 2–3 || Porcello (1–0) || Kittredge (0–1) || Kimbrel (2) || 17,838 || 1–2 || L2
|-style="background:#fbb" | 4 || April 1 || Red Sox || 1–2 || Velázquez (1–0) || Alvarado (0–1) || Kelly (1) || 14,256 || 1–3 || L3 |-style="background:#bbb" | — || April 2 || @ Yankees || colspan=7|Postponed (snow); Makeup: April 3 |-style="background:#fbb" | 5 || April 3 || @ Yankees || 4–11 || Kahnle (1–0) || Pruitt (1–1) || — || 46,776 || 1–4 || L4 |-style="background:#fbb" | 6 || April 4 || @ Yankees || 2–7 || Severino (2–0) || Snell (0–1) || — || 40,028 || 1–5 || L5 |-style="background:#fbb" | 7 || April 5 || @ Red Sox || 2–3 || Poyner (1–0) || Kittredge (0–2) || — || 36,134 || 1–6 || L6 |-style="background:#fbb" | 8 || April 7 || @ Red Sox || 3–10 || Porcello (2–0) || Faria (0–1) || — || 31,821 || 1–7 || L7 |-style="background:#fbb" | 9 || April 8 || @ Red Sox || 7–8 || Smith (1–1) || Colomé (0–1) || Kimbrel (3) || 31,979 || 1–8 || L8 |-style="background:#bfb" | 10 || April 9 || @ White Sox || 5–4 || Archer (1–0) || González (0–2) || Colomé (2) || 10,377 || 2–8 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 11 || April 10 || @ White Sox || 6–5 || Snell (1–1) || Fulmer (0–1) || Colomé (3) || 10,069 || 3–8 || W2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 12 || April 11 || @ White Sox || 1–2 || Rondón (1–0) || Pruitt (1–2) || Jones (1) || 10,431 || 3–9 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 13 || April 13 || Phillies || 1–2 || Ramos (1–0) || Colomé (0–2) || Neris (2) || 13,372 || 3–10 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 14 || April 14 || Phillies || 4–9 || Arrieta (1–0) || Archer (1–1) || — || 20,934 || 3–11 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb" | 15 || April 15 || Phillies || 4–10 || Ríos (1–0) || Yarbrough (0–1) || — || 19,841 || 3–12 || L4 |-style="background:#bfb" | 16 || April 16 || Rangers || 8–4 || Snell (2–1) || Pérez (1–2) || — || 9,363 || 4–12 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 17 || April 17 || Rangers || 2–7 || Moore (1–3) || Chirinos (0–1) || — || 8,972 || 4–13 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 18 || April 18 || Rangers || 4–2 || Faria (1–1) || Hamels (1–3) || Colomé (4) || 8,657 || 5–13 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 19 || April 20 || Twins || 8–7 || Colomé (1–2) || Duke (1–1) || — || 9,786 || 6–13 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb" | 20 || April 21 || Twins || 10–1 || Snell (3–1) || Gibson (1–1) || — || 10,106 || 7–13 || W3 |-style="background:#bfb" | 21 || April 22 || Twins || 8–6 || Colomé (2–2) || Reed (0–1) || — || 12,515 || 8–13 || W4 |-style="background:#bbb" | — || April 24 || @ Orioles || colspan=7|Postponed (rain); Makeup: May 12 |-style="background:#bfb" | 22 || April 25 || @ Orioles || 8–4 || Kittredge (1–2) || Cobb (0–3) || — || 8,730 || 9–13 || W5 |-style="background:#bfb" | 23 || April 26 || @ Orioles || 9–5 || Archer (2–1) || Bundy (1–3) || — || 9,596 || 10–13 || W6 |-style="background:#bfb" | 24 || April 27 || @ Red Sox || 4–3 || Snell (4–1) || Pomeranz (0–1) || Colomé (5) || 32,620 || 11–13 || W7 |-style="background:#bfb" | 25 || April 28 || @ Red Sox || 12–6 || Yarbrough (1–1) || Price (2–3) || — || 35,795 || 12–13 || W8 |-style="background:#fbb" | 26 || April 29 || @ Red Sox || 3–4 || Kimbrel (1–1) || Colomé (2–3) || — || 32,888 || 12–14 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 27 || April 30 || @ Tigers || 3–2 || Faria (2–1) || Grene (1–2) || Alvarado (1) || 19,398 || 13–14 || W1
|-style="background:#fbb" | 28 || May 1 || @ Tigers || 1–2 || Boyd (1–2) || Archer (2–2) || Greene (5) || 17,255 || 13–15 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 29 || May 2 || @ Tigers || 2–3 (12) || Saupold (1–0)|| Andriese (0–1) || — || 20,866 || 13–16 || L2 |-style="background:#bfb" | 30 || May 4 || Blue Jays || 6–2 || Yarbrough (2–1) || Happ (4–2) || — || 11,117 || 14–16 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 31 || May 5 || Blue Jays || 5–3 || Faria (3–1) || Sanchez (2–3) || Colomé (6) || 16,297 || 15–16 || W2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 32 || May 6 || Blue Jays || 1–2 || Tepera (2–1) || Colomé (2–4) || Osuna (9) || 14,032 || 15–17 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 33 || May 8 || Braves || 0–1 || Newcomb (3–1) || Snell (4–2) || Vizcaíno (5) || 15,382 || 15–18 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 34 || May 9 || Braves || 2–5 || Teherán (3–1) || Yarbrough (2–2) || Vizcaíno (6) || 12,082 || 15–19 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb" | 35 || May 11 || @ Orioles || 4–9 || Gausman (3–2) || Faria (3–2) || Brach (5) || 28,170 || 15–20 || L4 |-style="background:#fbb" | 36 || May 12 || @ Orioles || 3–6 || Hess (1–0) || Archer (2–3) || Givens (1) || 24,534 || 15–21 || L5 |-style="background:#bfb" | 37 || May 12 || @ Orioles || 10–3 || Romo (1–0) || Cobb (0–5) || — || 24,534 || 16–21 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 38 || May 13 || @ Orioles || 1–17 || Bundy (2–5) || Snell (4–3) || — || 25,257 || 16–22 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 39 || May 14 || @ Royals || 2–1 || Yarbrough (3–2) || Skoglund (1–3) || Colomé (7) || 14,174 || 17–22 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 40 || May 15 || @ Royals || 6–5 || Venters (1–0) || Herrera (1–1) || Colomé (8) || 21,500 || 18–22 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb" | 41 || May 16 || @ Royals || 5–3 || Andriese (1–1) || Hammel (0–5) || Colomé (9) || 19,611 || 19–22 || W3 |-style="background:#bfb" | 42 || May 17 || @ Angels || 7–1 || Archer (3–3) || Skaggs (3–3) || — || 30,487 || 20–22 || W4 |-style="background:#bfb" | 43 || May 18 || @ Angels || 8–3 || Snell (5–3) || Tropeano (1–3) || — || 40,067 || 21–22 || W5 |-style="background:#bfb" | 44 || May 19 || @ Angels || 5–3 || Yarbrough (4–2) || Heaney (2–3) || Colomé (10) || 37,232 || 22–22 || W6 |-style="background:#fbb" | 45 || May 20 || @ Angels || 2–5 || Ohtani (4–1) || Andriese (1–2) || Parker (2) || 38,560 || 22–23 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 46 || May 22 || Red Sox || 2–4 || Sale (5–1) || Faria (3–3) || Kimbrel (14) || 10,642 || 22–24 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 47 || May 23 || Red Sox || 1–4 || Kelly (3–0) || Colomé (2–5) || Kimbrel (15) || 10,194 || 22–25 || L3 |-style="background:#bfb" | 48 || May 24 || Red Sox || 6–3 || Snell (6–3) || Porcello (6–2) || Colomé (11) || 12,468 || 23–25 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 49 || May 25 || Orioles || 0–2 || Hess (2–1) || Romo (1–1) || Brach (8) || 11,354 || 23–26 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 50 || May 26 || Orioles || 5–1 || Banda (1–0) || Cashner (2–6) || — || 14,744 || 24–26 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 51 || May 27 || Orioles || 8–3 || Nuño (1–0) || Gausman (3–4) || Pruitt (1) || 13,311 || 25–26 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb" | 52 || May 28 || @ Athletics || 1–0 (13) || Stanek (1–0) || Hatcher (3–2) || Venters (1) || 10,881 || 26–26 || W3 |-style="background:#bfb" | 53 || May 29 || @ Athletics || 4–3 || Snell (7–3) || Gossett (0–3) || Romo (1) || 7,521 || 27–26 || W4 |-style="background:#bfb" | 54 || May 30 || @ Athletics || 6–0 || Eovaldi (1–0) || Manaea (5–6) || — || 6,705 || 28–26 || W5 |-style="background:#fbb" | 55 || May 31 || @ Athletics || 3–7 || Mengden (6–4) || Stanek (1–1) || Treinen (13) || 12,070 || 28–27 || L1
|-style="background:#fbb" | 56 || June 1 || @ Mariners || 3–4 (13) || Elías (1–0) || Andriese (1–3) || — || 22,636 || 28–28 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 57 || June 2 || @ Mariners || 1–3 || Gonzales (6–3) || Archer (3–4) || Díaz (20) || 28,599 || 28–29 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb" | 58 || June 3 || @ Mariners || 1–2 || Hernandez (6–4) || Alvarado (0–2) || Díaz (21) || 26,567 || 28–30 || L4 |-style="background:#fbb" | 59 || June 5 || @ Nationals || 2–4 || Scherzer (10–1) || Eovaldi (1–1) || Doolittle (15) || 32,165 || 28–31 || L5 |-style="background:#fbb" | 60 || June 6 || @ Nationals || 2–11 || Roark (3–6) || Venters (1–1) || — || 33,106 || 28–32 || L6 |-style="background:#fbb" | 61 || June 7 || Mariners || 4–5 || Leake (6–3) || Pruitt (1–3) || — || 10,342 || 28–33 || L7 |-style="background:#fbb" | 62 || June 8 || Mariners || 3–4 || Gonzales (7–3) || Font (0–3) || Díaz (22) || 12,435 || 28–34 || L8 |-style="background:#bfb" | 63 || June 9 || Mariners || 7–3 || Snell (8–3) || Hernandez (6–5) || Roe (1) || 12,258 || 29–34 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 64 || June 10 || Mariners || 4–5 || Paxton (6–1) || Alvarado (0–3) || Díaz (23) || 10,512 || 29–35 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 65 || June 11 || Blue Jays || 8–4 || Yarbrough (5–2) || Gaviglio (2–2) || — || 10,769 || 30–35 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb" | 66 || June 12 || Blue Jays || 4–1 || Pruitt (2–3) || García (2–5) || Romo (2) || 11,162 || 31–35 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb" | 67 || June 13 || Blue Jays || 1–0 || Castillo (1–0) || Tepera (3–2) || — || 10,847 || 32–35 || W3 |-style="background:#fbb" | 68 || June 14 || @ Yankees || 3–4 || Germán (1–4) || Snell (8–4) || Chapman (19) || 45,066 || 32–36 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 69 || June 15 || @ Yankees || 0–5 || Loáisiga (1–0) || Eovaldi (1–2) || — || 45,112 || 32–37 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 70 || June 16 || @ Yankees || 1–4 || Severino (10–2) || Yarbrough (5–3) || Chapman (20) || 46,249 || 32–38 || L3 |-style="background:#bfb" | 71 || June 17 || @ Yankees || 3–1 || Roe (1–1) || Sabathia (4–2) || Romo (3) || 46,400 || 33–38 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 72 || June 18 || @ Astros || 4–5 || McHugh (2–0) || Romo (1–2) || — || 34,151 || 33–39 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb"