As second half begins, Rays need to reignite after hot start

The Tampa Bay Rays opened the season by winning 23 of their first 29 games, the hottest start to a season since the 1984 Detroit Tigers.

That Tigers team went on to win the World Series. They were never out of first place all season but like this year’s Rays, they slumped just before the All-Star break. Detroit lost six of eight before the midsummer classic. After the break, they only suffered a losing streak of more than two games on one occasion.

Can the Rays, losers of seven of their last eight games, mimic the Tigers? Answers to come.

– Cole Pepper, Florida Politics