Phillies reportedly may finish regular season vs. Rays

It appears that the Philadelphia Phillies may finish the 2020 regular season against the team that they defeated in the 2008 World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays.

According to Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times, an MLB schedule draft that has been sent to the league’s teams includes the Rays finishing their season by hosting the Phillies at Tropicana Field. Topkin notes that no MLB schedule for the 2020 season has been finalized and this draft remains subject to change, though there’s no indication that it will.

This is the first peek we’ve gotten at what the Phillies schedule for 2020 could potentially look like. The Phillies will play 40 games against the four other National League teams – the Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins and New York Mets – and their remaining 20 against the five American League East teams – the Rays, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. It’s not yet clear who the Phillies will open their 2020 season against, and whether they’ll do so at home or on the road.

Certainly the Yankees, Nationals and Braves would like to be in this conversation, but it’s entirely possible that the Rays are the best team that the Phillies will play during the 2020 regular season. Kevin Cash’s squad won 96 games and one of the two American League Wild Card spots a season ago. Their team is highlighted by the starting pitching trio of Charlie Morton, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. If the Phillies hope to snap an eight-year postseason drought, it may involve winning a series against a World Series contender in the waning days of the regular season.

It’s also worth considering that COVID-19 is currently seeing a second wave (or perhaps continuation of the first wave) in Florida, which could affect the players available when the Phillies play the Rays and Marlins in 2020.

MORE FROM PHILLIES NATION

1. The Story Behind Cliff Lee’s ‘Ho-Hum’ World Series Catch
2. Matt Klentak Says Phillies Will Continue To Consider Odubel Herrera
3. Phillies’ First-Round Selection Mick Abel Greeted To Team With FaceTime Call From Bryce Harper
4. Jayson Werth Explains Origins Of Hulk Fist, Reminisces About 2008
5. ‘The Real Deal:’ Read Cole Hamels’ Pre-Draft Scouting Report
6. ‘We Got A Chance To Win This Whole Thing’: Mick Abel and the Jesuit Crusaders’ Run To The Oregon State Championship
7. Cliff Lee’s Single-Season Feat That May Never Be Matched Again
8. Phillies Didn’t Think There Was ‘Any Chance’ Casey Martin Fell To Them In The Third Round
9. Do You Remember Who The Phillies Drafted Over Roy Halladay?
10. Phillies Phlashback: The Most Bizzare Ballpark Promotion In Team History