2024 Sunburst Awards: Seattle Mariners games 79-81

Rays win their third straight series in electric homestand!!

“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 26th series of the season, where the Tampa Bay Rays took on the Pittsburgh Pirates from June 24 to June 27, a three game series at Tropicana Field.

Wow! This is getting fun, the Rays are on fire winning their third series in a row this time taking two against the Mariners. Lets get to giving out awards!

Game 1: Rays - 4 Mariners - 3 (recap)

Game 2: Rays - 11 Mariners - 3 (recap)

Game 3: Rays - 2 Mariners 5 (recap)

Offensive Sunburst Award: Ben Rortvedt

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

Rortvedt returns to the Offensive Sunburst category for the first time since series number three of the season with an electric series at the plate. Bicep Benny racked up five RBI in the two games he played, headlined by this two-run home run.

With just eight plate appearances against the Mariners, Rortvedt left his fingerprints all over this series win.

Pitching Sunburst Award: Ryan Pepiot

Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

Pepiot had a dominant hold over the Pitching Sunburst Award to start this season, and he’s finally back with a solid start in the final game of the series, racking up eight strikeouts in five innings giving up just one run.

Pepiot is now boasting a 1.09 WHIP on the 2024 season through 14 starts.

Defensive Sunburst Award: Jonny DeLuca

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

DeLuca dazzled everyone with this crazy catch in the fourth inning of game two. Who doesn’t love a good diving catch?

This catch earns him the Defensive Sunburst for this series, his second of the season.

Highlight Sunburst Award: Yandy Diaz & Richie Palacios

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

We’re making history with this edition of Sunburst Awards, as we’re handing out TWO awards for the Highlight category to both Palacios and Diaz for this heads-up baserunning play in the second inning of game three.

The combination of Diaz noticing nobody covering first and hustling to win the race to the base along with Palacios’ heads up baserunning to steal a run earned them both an award.

Conclusion

The Rays are finally finding their winning form, sitting just one game under .500 and now just a few games back from Boston to grab third place in the AL East. They will look to continue this hot streak after today’s off day taking on the Nationals for a three game weekend series starting Friday at 6:50.