Single Post

2024 Sunburst Awards: Baltimore Orioles games 58-60

“Sunburst Awards” is a series-by-series evaluation of player performance, where four different awards are given out after each series: Offensive player of the series, defensive player of the series, pitcher of the series, and highlight play of the series. This edition will be covering the 18th series of the season, where the Tampa Bay Rays took on the Oakland Athletics from May 28 through May 30, a three game series at Tropicana Field.

the Rays face the Orioles for the first time in 2024 for a three game series in Baltimore.

Game 1: Rays – 1 Orioles – 3

Game 2: Rays – 5 Orioles – 9 (recap)

Game 3: Rays – 4 Orioles – 3 (recap)

Offensive Sunburst Award: Yandy Diaz

Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images

Diaz had another nice weekend at the plate in Baltimore, coming up clutch with four RBI, three hits, and three walks in the three game series. Including a rare triple that brought in two runs in game two and tied the game.

Diaz also worked a walk to bring in another run in the same game to give the Rays a 5-4 lead.

Diaz now has four offensive Sunbursts this year, by far the most amongst his teammates.

Pitching Sunburst Award: Aaron Civale

Civale has been struggling this year on the mound, with a 2-4 record and a 5.37 ERA in his 12 starts this year. However, his start on Friday against the Orioles looked to be a step in the right direction, going 5 ¹⁄₃ innings allowing just one earned run.

Civale gave the Rays a much needed headstart to the offensive powerhouse Orioles in the opening game of the series. Though the Rays were unable to take advantage of it, his efforts still leave fans optimistic about perhaps a turnaround in the future.

Defensive Sunburst Award: Jonny DeLuca

DeLuca is earning this weekend’s highlight nod with his impressive diving catch in the late stages of game one on Friday.

In the fifth inning of a tight 1-0 game, Ramon Urias hit a bloop fly ball to left field, and a sprinting DeLuca saved a base hit that would’ve put the go ahead run at the plate with an impressive diving catch.

Highlight Sunburst Award: Jose Siri

Siri continues his hot streak at the plate with MORE clutch hits, this time a go-ahead double in the eighth inning of game three to give the Rays and eventual win over the Orioles

Siri came into this series off of a walk-off, a two-homer day, and a home run robbery in a three game series against the Athletics. Safe to say he’s heating up.

Conclusion

The Rays now sit two games below .500, a position they’ve been around for a lot of this season. They follow this series up with a two game bid against the Marlins before hosting these same Orioles for a four game series at Tropicana field.

Source link