MLB playoffs 2026: The Tampa Bay Rays can beat you with a bunt - ESPN

If there is one play that personifies this season for the Tampa Bay Rays, that illustrates exactly the way they play the game, it came Sept. 22 in the second game of a crucial doubleheader in New York against the Yankees.

The Rays led 1-0 in the seventh inning. They had runners at first and third with one out against Max Fried, a great fielding pitcher. Rays shortstop Taylor Walls pushed a perfect bunt between the mound and first base, allowing the runner on third to score — and no Yankee covered second base. The Rays scored three in the inning and won the game 6-1.

«We have done that a lot this year,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said. „It is very hard to defend.''

And so are the unpredictable Rays, in part because they bunt more than any team, and they bunt better than any team. They bunted 129 times this season, 40 times more than the second-place Brewers (89). The Rays had the most bunts for hit attempts with 84; next most were the Rockies (54). The Rays had the most sacrifice bunts with 45, and the most bunt hits with 49, 17 more than the next closest (again the Brewers). The Dodgers, by contrast? Had two bunt hits this year.

“Well, why would you ask anyone on the Dodgers to bunt?'' Cash asked with a laugh. „Look, we don't ask Junior [Caminero] to bunt. Or Yandy [Diaz]. Or [Jonathan] Aranda. But we have some guys who can do it.''

Speedy left fielder Chandler Simpson, who has not hit a home run in two major league seasons, had 14 bunt hits in 26 attempts this year. Center fielder Cedric Mullins had 12 in 14 attempts. Walls had 11 in 19 tries. They were second, third and fourth in bunt hits behind the Brewers' David Hamilton, who was 15-for-21.

From the first pitch of the wild-card games to the last out of the World