2024 Sunburst Awards: Texas Rangers games 88-90

Well that sucked.

“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 27th series of the season, where the Tampa Bay Rays took on the Washington Nationals from June 28 to June 30, a three game series at Tropicana Field.

It was only a matter of time before the Rays dropped a series, but that was brutal. Let’s try our best to give out some awards

Game 1: Rays - 0 Rangers - 3 (recap)

Game 2: Rays - 3 Rangers - 4 (recap)

Game 3: Rays - 2 Rangers - 13 (recap)

Offensive Sunburst Award: Yandy Diaz

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Diaz was perhaps the only Rays player in this series to put up a half-decent performance at the plate, sporting four hits, including a home run in game one to put the Rays in front.

Diaz’s home run would be the only scoring play in the game, but that loss is beyond Yandy, who did all he could to get his club in the game.

Pitching Sunburst Award: Taj Bradley

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Bradley has become much more consistent on the mound lately, with another start giving up less than two earned runs.

Bradley racked up five strikeouts in the Rays’ 4-3 loss in game two of the series, lowering his ERA down to 3.23 in 2024.

Defensive Sunburst Award: Isaac Paredes

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Paredes earns his second Defensive Sunburst with this impressive diving stop in game one to potentially save a run in the seventh inning.

The 2024 All Star now has six Sunbursts on the year, as well as two Silver Sunbursts both in the offensive category.

Highlight Sunburst Award: Jose Caballero

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Caballero’s two run home run in game three of this series looked to be a blessing in the sense of helping the Rays pull ahead and hopefully avoid a sweep, however it later turned into a blessing in the sense of preventing the Rays get shut out in their eventual 13-2 loss.

Conclusion

The Rays lose a series for the first time since their road trip to Atlanta in mid June, falling to 44-46 on the year after finally working their way over .500. An off day will look to potentially get the Rays back on track as they will then host the Yankees at the Trop for a three game series starting Tuesday at 6:50.