Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax throws to home plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
St. Petersburg, FL – Griffin Jax delivered five shutout frames and the Rays offense scored four times in the first inning on their way to a 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field.
Griffin Jax (8-10, 3.62 ERA) picks up the win for Tampa Bay who improve to 95-60. With the win, the Rays reduce their magic number to clinch the AL East to three. The Rays will clinch the AL East with a victory in New York.
It was the Rays final home game of the season and they finish with an impressive 55-26 (.679) record, the third-best single season home record in franchise history behind 2020 (.690 [20-9]) and 2008 (.270 [57-24]).
Patrick Sandoval (1-6, 5.15 ERA) takes the loss for the Red Sox. Sandoval worked seven innings allowing five runs on four hits striking out five and walking two. With the loss, Boston falls to 84-72 on the season and they drop the season series to the Rays 6-7. Boston was unable to secure a playoff berth with a win; however, they could still punch their ticket to the postseason with a Houston Astros loss on Sunday night.
Tampa Bay erupted for four innings in the bottom of the first inning on a 2-RBI double by Jonny DeLuca and a 2-RBI single by Chandler Simpson. Victor Mesa Jr. delivered a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead to 5-0. It was Mesa Jr’s 14th homer of the year. He became one of six Rays rookies to hit 14 or more homers in there rookie season, the first to do it since Randy Arozarena hit 20 in his 2021 rookie season.
Griffin Jax worked the first five innings and did not allow a run. He limited the Red Sox to three hits while striking out five and walking two. Cole Sulser, Brody Hopkins, Steve Matz, Ty Johnson, and Kevin Kelly worked four innings. Boston’s only run came on a homer by Trevor Story, his fifth, off Ty Johnson in the ninth inning.
Up Next For Rays;
The Rays will have Monday off before taking off for their key four game series with the New York Yankees starting with a day-night double header Tuesday. The first game begins at 1:05 p.m. EST. The Rays will start Nick Martinez (15-4, 2.94 ERA) in the first game and Drew Rasmussen (15-5, 2.72 ERA) in the night cap. New York has not announced their starter at this time.