The Tampa Bay Rays had just been swept out of Boston and watched their division lead shrink to a game and a half. Monday night in Toronto they steadied themselves, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 behind six efficient innings from Nick Martinez.
Martinez did it without a single strikeout, which is its own kind of statement. He allowed one run on six hits and a walk over six innings, trusting the defense behind him to convert outs — the sort of contact-managed start that never lands on a highlight reel but ended a four-game losing streak all the same.
The offense gave him room early. Nick Fortes homered and scored twice, Victor Mesa Jr. and Cedric Mullins also went deep, and Junior Caminero stayed hot with three hits and two RBI. Three Rays homers and a balanced top-to-bottom night were exactly what a lineup coming off a sweep needed.
Toronto managed little against Martinez and the bullpen. Dylan Cease struck out seven but surrendered three runs over six innings and took the loss, and the Blue Jays fell to 46-54, last in the division. Tampa Bay improved to 57-42 and held its 1.5-game cushion over the Yankees atop the AL East.
For fantasy purposes, Martinez is a streamable arm even without the strikeouts — the ratios and the win play in deeper mixed leagues, though the lack of Ks caps his ceiling. Caminero is a must-start in every format and locked in at the plate, while Mullins, back in the home-run column, remains a useful outfield add for managers chasing a blend of steals and pop.
