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Rays’ solidified infield a cornerstone for future
- Updated: August 18, 2016
ST. PETERSBURG — Kevin Cash likes to think of the Rays’ struggles earlier this year as a “road block.” That’s the 3-24 midsummer stretch that quickly dropped Tampa Bay out of playoff contention, the worst string of games in the franchise’s 18-year history.
It’s almost a dismissive term — one the Rays manager used the day after the non-waiver Trade Deadline — for such a costly stretch. But in the context of where the Rays are now, and what their plans are for the future, that stretch is truly being viewed as a “road block” that is starting to open up.
Instead of blowing up their roster and chances of winning in 2017, Tampa Bay used the Trade Deadline to solidify an infield the Rays believe will show what it can do in 2016, and be the cornerstone of a winning team in years to come.
“We’re not far at all from being a very good team again,” Cash said.
It was at the Deadline that the Rays added Matt Duffy as their everyday shortstop. Before injuring his Achilles in June, he’d played 188 straight games for the Giants, primarily as their starting third baseman. He’ll join an infield manned by three-time All-Star Evan Longoria at third base, who is having one of the best seasons of his career. And on the right side of the infield is second baseman Logan Forsythe and first baseman Brad Miller, who have combined for 39 …
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