No doubt, the two-game series against the Cubs will be a bittersweet time for some of the Rays players and for their former skipper Joe Maddon. The memories made during his nine-year tenure as Ray’s manager will last forever but as the saying goes, life moves on.
This brief two-game home stand has more meanings than just welcoming back Maddon as the Rays continue to hang on for the second AL Wild Card. With the Twins losing to the Yankees and the Orioles to Boston on Monday night, the Rays gained a half-game on the Twins and Orioles for the current second Wild Card and are now just five games back with 12 games remaining.