After staggering loss, Zack Littell trade, what’s next for sub-.500 Rays?

NEW YORK The loss was staggering enough, as the Rays blew three leads against the Yankees Wednesday and then got walked off in the 11th inning on a hit that followed a balk.As they filed back into the clubhouse after the 5-4 defeat that dropped them under .500 for the first time since late May at 54-55, there was more bad news:Starter Zack Littell was being traded to Cincinnati, with the Rays getting back two minor-league pitchers: left-hander Adam Serwinowski, the Reds No.

10 prospect per mlb.com; and righty Brian Van Belle.The Rays then sent Serwinowski, plus reliever Paul Gervase and catcher Ben Rortvedt (who was at Triple A), to the Dodgers for catcher Hunter Feduccia, a 28-year-old with solid Triple-A numbers.It then raised the question of whether the deal was made in isolation, given Littell was headed to free agency, or a sign that baseball operations president Erik Neander and staff are planning to further break up the team by dealing away more key players before Thursdays 6 p.m.

deadline.Thats their job, right? Thats not ours, said closer Pete Fairbanks, who has been connected with several teams in trade speculation.

I think that (trade), just given (Littells) expiring contract and where its headed, is something that was probably a little more in the cards than some of the other things that have circulated on everybodys favorite website for the last week of July, mlbtraderumors.com.So, yeah, well see where it goes.Veteran second baseman Brandon Lowe, rumored to be of interest to the Mets and others, said he is worn out by the speculation.Ive let that run its course on me already, he said.

The waiting game, the wondering if its going to happen or not and just kind of overtrying to play GM.

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It either happens or it doesnt, and (Im) just going to kind of go about it that way.But he said he also felt the Rays, despite a majors-worst 8-20 stretch and trading away catcher Danny Jansen and Littell, still can make a legit run into the playoffs.

They currently sit three games out of the final American League wild-card spot.This loss, it was a tough one, a tough one to swallow.

We battled back quite a bit and had a really good start out of Littell and some of our guys out of the pen.

Its just a tough baseball game to wear, Lowe said.I dont think it changes too much.

I still do think this group is extremely talented and has a chance to do some pretty cool things.Littell was told of the deal, which was pending medical reviews and has some moving parts, around the time the game ended.

He, too, said his now former team could prosper if kept together.I believe this group is good enough to win.

I think theyre better than a .500 team.

I think you can look at the difference between last years .500 (80-82) and this years .500, and this years .500, its not the same.

This is a talented group that can win and knows how to win.

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Theyre going to be fine no matter what happens, and hopefully they make a run and end up in the playoffs.To get there, the Rays are going to have to find ways to fix the bullpen, which continues to cost them games at an amazing rate.Its tough to win ballgames here to begin with, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

But when youve got leads and youre not able to hold them there, it makes it really that much (more) challenging.Just consider Wednesday:Leading 1-0 in the eighth, Bryan Baker, the recent trade acquisition from Baltimore, allowed two runs, on a homer and three straight singles.Back up 3-2 on a clutch two-run homer by Josh Lowe, Fairbanks gave up a tying homer in the ninth to Anthony Volpe.Ahead 4-3 in the 10th after Jonathan Arandas bases-loaded sacrifice fly, Edwin Uceta allowed a run-scoring triple to Cody Bellinger.The 11th-inning ending, in a way, was even more frustrating, as Kevin Kellys brutal struggles continued.With Jazz Chisholm Jr.

the runner placed at second, the Rays intentionally walked Jasson Dominguez to set up a double play.With Chisholm jumping off second and teammates yelling, Kelly said he got caught between going ahead with the pitch or stepping off the rubber and flinched, enough for a balk to be called, moving both runners up.I felt like I moved a little.

I was hoping that nobody noticed or that it wasnt as big as I felt it, Kelly said.

I definitely did.

Obviously unacceptable in that situation.

I dont really have anything else on it.In six appearances covering five-plus innings since the All-Star break, Kelly has allowed 13 hits, 11 runs (nine earned) and three walks.Just kind of feels like its a different thing every night, he said.Added Cash: Things have certainly not gone his way or anybody in our bullpens way.With the runners on second and third, Ryan McMahon lofted a fly ball over the drawn-in outfield to score the winning run.It sucks not to win a game, whether were up one or up 10 and we end up losing.

Doesnt matter, Josh Lowe said.

Our goal has always come out on top.

But yeah, that one hurts to lose.'And there could be more pain coming.Todayat Yankees, 1:05 TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 95.3-FM, 620-AM Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams.

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