The Rays celebrated clinching a postseason spot on Wednesday, following a 5–0 win over the Red Sox. As has become customary for MLB teams, Tampa Bay broke out bottles of champagne in the clubhouse and sprayed each other jubilantly.
However, this celebration was a bit strange. The Rays clinched their postseason spot on Sept. 17, not Sept. 27. So why did they break out the champagne 10 days after securing a playoff berth?
As Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times explained, the Rays clinched a postseason berth when the Rangers lost to the Guardians on Sept. 17. But Tampa Bay also lost that night, falling to the Orioles in 11 innings, 5–4. The loss was a painful one, as the Rays bullpen blew leads in the ninth and 10th innings. So team officials decided to postpone their plans to celebrate.
