TORONTO — Truth be told, the Tampa Bay Rays could have used the four-day All-Star break maybe a week earlier, given the way they were playing on the last road trip.
“That would have been beneficial,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Thursday before an optional workout at Rogers Centre that drew 19 players.
But, having the break fall when it did also allowed the Rays to stop the free-fall with a three-game sweep against the Houston Astros. Not only did the Rays win three straight at home, a place where they have struggled this season, but also they did it against a first-place team.