The Tampa Bay Devil Rays began play in the 1998 Major League Baseball season. Their first decade of play was marred by utter failure; they finished in last place in the American League East in all but the 2004 season, when they finished in fourth place.
The 2008 season saw the Tampa Bay Rays have their first winning season with a 97–65 record and their first AL East Division win. They defeated the Boston Red Sox to win the American League Championship, but lost to the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.
The Rays have since won their second AL East championship in 2010 and qualified for the postseason as a wild card team in 2011.
One of the Tampa Bay Rays‘ chief rivals are the New York Yankees.
As a fellow member of the AL East Division, the Yankees and Rays play many times each season. There has always been an edge between the teams because the Yankees make Tampa their spring training home and fan loyalty in the Tampa Bay area has historically been divided, especially among transplants from the northeastern US.
The rivalry heated up to a boil in spring training of 2008, when a home plate collision between Rays outfielder Elliot Johnson and Yankee catcher Francisco Cervelli was followed the next day by spikes-high slide by Yankees outfielder Shelley Duncan into Rays’ second baseman Akinori Iwamura, prompting Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes to charge in from his position in right field and knock Duncan to the ground.
Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of this young but growing rivalry, buy your tickets today!