MLB The Show 25 continues to shine when it comes to one thing above all else: storytelling through gameplay. Every ranked matchup, especially when using All-Time Teams, feels like a self-contained baseball drama—momentum swings, missed opportunities, unlikely heroes, and the harsh lessons that only nine innings can teach. After an explosive 13-run performance with the All-Time Padres in the previous episode, the wheel spun again and landed on a fascinating new challenge: the All-Time Tampa Bay Rays.

At first glance, the Rays are not usually the team that strikes fear into opponents the way powerhouse franchises do. But MLB The Show 25 Stubs has a way of recontextualizing baseball history. On paper, this All-Time Rays roster was better than expected, especially offensively, though it came with some very clear weaknesses that would ultimately define the game.

Building the All-Time Rays Roster

Offensively, the Rays' lineup had more pop than anticipated. Junior Caminero immediately stood out as a centerpiece—one of the most exciting Rays cards available, capable of changing the game with a single swing. Carlos Peña brought absurd raw power, the kind that threatens the upper deck even when the PCI isn’t perfect. Yandy Díaz, while not always flashy, has one of those quietly “glitchy” swings that can produce consistent results. Add in Brandon Lowe, whose swing has long been a favorite, and suddenly the lineup felt dangerous.

The real intrigue came from players outside the Rays’ native inventory. Ben Zobrist remains one of the most beloved and reliable cards in MLB The Show 25—a true Swiss Army knife who always seems to come through. Wade Boggs had already been popping off earlier in the series, making him a crucial bat. Johnny Gomes, a Home Run Derby X card, was largely untested but loaded with enticing attributes that hinted at explosive potential.

Not everything was perfect, though. The weakest offensive links were clearly Randy Arozarena and Danny Jansen. Without the coveted 99 postseason Randy card, expectations were tempered. On the bench, the Rays had some flexibility with Chandler Simpson, Jake Mangum, Willy Adames, and José Bautista, giving situational options late in the game.

Pitching, however, was where concerns began to surface.

A Pitching Staff with Cracks

The Rays’ rotation—Drew Rasmussen, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Charlie Morton, and Shane McClanahan—looked solid on paper, but this was a staff that relied heavily on execution and sequencing. The bullpen was the real problem. Outside of names like Pete Fairbanks, Griffin Jax, and Ian Seymour, there simply wasn’t a true meta reliever to lean on. No dominant, automatic arm to slam the door in tight moments.

One saving grace was the Captain Boost, with Tier 2 active for both hitting and pitching. Even at that level, the boost provided meaningful attribute bumps, especially for Rays cards, helping compensate—at least slightly—for roster limitations.

With expectations cautiously optimistic, the All-Time Rays hit the road once again, this time playing at Old Atlanta. Random? Absolutely. But road games have a way of sharpening focus—or exposing flaws.

A Fast Start and Missed Opportunities

The game opened with immediate promise. A nine-pitch leadoff at-bat from Ben Zobrist ended with a clean hit up the middle—exactly the kind of disciplined approach that sets the tone. Moments later, Junior Caminero delivered, putting the Rays up 2–0 almost instantly. It felt like the Padres game all over again: offense firing early, momentum on the Rays’ side.

Carlos Peña followed with a missile that somehow stayed in the park, settling for a double. It should have been gone. Yandy Díaz drew a walk, loading the bases with no outs. Pedro Martínez, still searching for his first out, was on the ropes.

And yet, that moment—the chance for a crooked number—slipped away.

Despite scoring two runs, the Rays failed to fully capitalize, leaving runs on the table. Against elite pitching, those missed opportunities linger like ghosts.

Blake Snell and the Momentum Shift

Blake Snell took the mound and looked sharp early. He mixed pitches well, caught hitters out in front, and navigated the first inning with relative ease despite a scary fly ball to Johnny Gomes. But as the game progressed, cracks began to show.

Offensively, the Rays suddenly went cold. Squared-up balls found gloves. Perfectly timed swings died at the warning track. Brandon Lowe crushed one that felt destined for the seats—only for it to turn into a brutal out. Baseball cruelty, digitally perfected.

Meanwhile, the opponent adjusted. Three doubles in one inning quickly erased the Rays’ lead, tying the game by the second. Defensive miscues and questionable reactions—especially from Randy Arozarena in the outfield—only added to the frustration.

By the third inning, momentum had fully flipped.

Trading Punches and a Solo Spark

Snell settled in briefly, keeping the game tied with clever sequencing—changeups low and inside, fastballs just late enough to disrupt timing. Three innings down, it felt like a battle was brewing.

Then, finally, a breakthrough.

In the fourth inning, Wade Boggs turned on a pitch and sent it over the wall for a solo home run. The relief was palpable. After inning upon inning of hard contact going nowhere, the Rays had something tangible to show for their swings.

But any optimism was short-lived.

The Game Slips Away

Snell’s stamina waned, and the decision was made to turn to Tyler Glasnow out of the bullpen—a risky move, but one forced by the Rays’ shallow relief options. The inning unraveled quickly. Hits piled up. Defensive plays didn’t get made. A bad route in the outfield turned into extra bases, and a poorly located pitch made matters worse.

What had been a close, competitive game suddenly felt like survival mode.

At that point, the focus shifted from winning to simply staying alive—avoiding the mercy rule and fighting for pride.

An Unexpected Hero in the Bullpen

If there was one bright spot during the collapse, it was Andrew Kittredge.

Brought in later than he probably should have been, Kittredge was lights-out. Easy outs. Weak contact. Calm execution. In hindsight, he should have been the first call from the bullpen, not an afterthought.

While the offense struggled against Pedro Martínez—who somehow pitched deep into the game despite that grueling first inning—Kittredge quietly stabilized things. If miracles were possible, he was going to be the reason.

A Late Rally and What Could Have Been

The Rays weren’t done yet.

Junior Caminero launched his second home run of the game, chipping away at the deficit. Randy Arozarena finally delivered, leaving the yard and injecting life back into the dugout. Even Danny Jansen joined the party with a leadoff homer in the ninth, barely clearing the wall but counting all the same.

For a brief moment, hope returned.

But baseball is ruthless.

Missed swings on hanging sliders. A perfectly anticipated pitch that still resulted in a whiff. A late-game substitution—Jake Mangum for Randy due to clutch ratings—that just didn’t quite pay off.

When the final out was recorded, the loss felt earned.

Lessons from the Loss

This was one of those games where luck played a role—hard-hit balls straight at fielders, good PCI results with nothing to show for it—but execution mattered more. Missing a key curveball late in the game erased any argument for a different outcome, cheap MLB The Show 25 Stubs.

Still, the fight mattered.

After falling badly in the middle innings, the All-Time Rays didn’t fold. They scratched, clawed, and made it interesting. That resilience is what MLB The Show 25 does best: turning losses into experiences worth remembering.

Final Thoughts and What’s Next

The All-Time Rays proved to be better than expected, especially offensively. The bullpen, however, remains a glaring weakness, and roster limitations were exposed under pressure. Andrew Kittredge deserves special recognition—arguably the MVP despite the loss.

Every winning streak ends eventually, and this one ended in a game that was chaotic, frustrating, and genuinely fun. With only two teams left on the wheel, anticipation builds.

Next up: the All-Time Kansas City Royals.

And if MLB The Show 25 has taught us anything, it’s that no matchup is ever predictable.