Simpson's Hot Streak: Rays' Lineup Shuffle

0:00On April 8th, the Tampa Bay Rays fell 9-2 against the Chicago Cubs in the second game with their series. Droving below 500 for the first time lately, starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen got scratched last minute for the birth of his second kid, forcing the team into a bullpen game that just didn't hold. Up. The Cubs bats lit up, pounding out nine runs, while the Rays reliever struggled to find the zone. It was a tough night overall, but one raced it out in the loss. Young outfielder Chandler Simpson went two for four, keeping his hot streak alive as a bright spot for Tampa Bay. Fans and analysts are scratching their heads, though, because the 25-year-old is batting sixth, despite slashing 0.405 over. 0.444 over 0.452 early this season. Simpson's no power guy, when he makes contact, gets on base and runs wild. Four steals already, perfect on attempts after 44 last year. Batting low means weak protection behind him, limiting his damage. Moving him to lead off could spark the lineup, letting guys like Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Oranda, and Junior Kemenero drive him in.

1:07With manager Kevin Cash shuffling spots, it's time to test that tweak and let Simpson set the table right. That's the story for today. MLB News Today, Driven by AI.