The Tampa Bay Rays battered the Athletics 10-1 on Thursday, September 17, at Tropicana Field, turning in one of their most complete performances of the 2026 regular season. Drew Rasmussen delivered five scoreless innings to earn the win, while Liam Hicks and Chandler Simpson each drove in a pair of runs to pace a balanced offensive attack that knocked starter Jeffrey Springs out before the fourth inning was finished. A nine-run margin of victory says everything: this one was never close.

Drew Rasmussen Controls the Game for Five Innings

Rasmussen did exactly what a starting pitcher needs to do when his offense is giving him a big cushion — he kept it simple and stayed out of trouble. He worked through five full innings, allowed four hits and two walks, and struck out three. He did not permit a single earned run. That kind of efficient outing allowed manager to deploy the bullpen in low-stress situations for the final four frames.

Casey Legumina worked the sixth and was touched for one earned run on a Lawrence Butler solo home run — the only damage Oakland managed all night. Brody Hopkins, Steven Matz, and Alex Cook each handled an inning after that, combining for three strikeouts and no runs allowed. Matz and Cook were particularly sharp, each punching out two batters while not allowing a hit or a walk between them.

Jeffrey Springs Gets Tagged Early; Tampa Bay Bats Take Over

Oakland handed the ball to left-hander Jeffrey Springs, a name Rays fans will remember from his time in Tampa Bay, and the results were rough. Springs lasted just 3.1 innings, surrendering six earned runs on five hits and two walks. The Rays offense swarmed him from the jump, and once the lead swelled to multiple runs, the game was effectively over.

When Springs exited, Oakland turned to a bullpen that ultimately needed six pitchers to finish the game. Joe Rock was the most damaging reliever in relief, recording zero outs while giving up two earned runs on a hit and two walks before being lifted. The Athletics pieced things together late, but the deficit was simply too large to overcome.

Hicks and Simpson Lead the Offensive Charge

Two Rays hitters stood out in the boxscore:

  • Liam Hicks went 2-for-4 with two RBI, providing a steady presence in the middle of the order.
  • Chandler Simpson matched him with a 2-for-5 night and two RBI of his own, showing the kind of consistent contact that makes him a difficult out.

The fact that no Rays batter hit a home run and Tampa Bay still scored ten runs tells you something about how the offense operated Thursday night — they manufactured runs, strung hits together, and capitalized on Athletics pitching struggles rather than relying on one big swing to carry them.

Lawrence Butler's Solo Shot the Only Bright Spot for Oakland

Butler was the lone Athletic who did any real damage, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run and one RBI. His blast in the sixth off Legumina was a reminder that he can hurt you, but one run against a ten-run lead amounts to a footnote. Oakland's offense otherwise managed just one run on the night, a result that reflects how locked in the Tampa Bay pitching staff was from the first inning to the last.

What's Next for the Rays

Tampa Bay will continue its home series against the Athletics at Tropicana Field. Thursday's 10-1 result was about as clean a win as you can draw up in September — strong starting pitching, a deep bullpen performance, and an offense that made a quality opponent pay early. The Rays will look to carry that momentum into the next game.