Insane Rays pitcher quote makes Tampa Bay a genuine Blue Jays enemy

There's been plenty of fireworks on the field over the first two games between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays. The teams have played in two higher scoring games with the Rays coming out on top both times, 8-5 in the opener on Monday and 7-6 in ten innings on Tuesday. However, some emotionally charged fireworks may be in store in the series finale on Wednesday (May 13), pending on the outcome of the game.

It all stems from what seemed like a nothing incident during the series opener, but Rays pitcher Nick Martinez seems to want to make a big deal out of it. In the top of the seventh, with Jonathan Aranda already having a two-hit night that included a home run, with three RBIs, he was hit by a pitch from Braydon Fisher.

It was Fisher's first pitch of the game to start the inning and he got him right in the numbers on the back with a 95.4 mph four-seam fastball. Fisher seemed dejected by the trajectory of the ball, and didn't say anything or even look in Aranda's direction, but that didn't seem to matter to Martinez after the game.

Tampa area radio show host Tom Krasniqi says he spoke to Martinez after the game about the incident and he says, "(Martinez) said the guys were not happy and that it was "bush league." When I followed up on possible retaliation, he replied "we'll see." It's an odd statement from what seemed like a relatively innocent play. Sure, no one likes getting beaned, but with nothing to go off, it feels like this comment came out of nowhere.

No retaliation from the Rays just yet, but something could be brewing in the finale against Blue Jays

On Tuesday, the teams played a clean game, with nobody from either side getting hit. Perhaps the Rays are saving it for the finale. After already taking the first two games of this series and the first five overall against the Blue Jays in 2026, the Rays have a massive upper hand over the defending American League Champions.

Manager John Schneider spoke about this during Spring Training. The Blue Jays were going to have a target on their backs and everyone was going to be gunning for them, trying to make life as difficult as possible with the notion that they are the "team to beat" in the AL this year. While the Blue Jays have done a pretty efficient job beating themselves up, both physically and emotionally to start the 2026 campaign, their division rivals are likely enjoying every bit of their contributions to making life miserable for Toronto.

That's why this comment feels like it is coming out of nowhere, and also feels ill-timed. You never want to give your opponents any bulletin board material. You don't want to give them a rallying cry. The Rays have all the momentum going their way and they shouldn't try to get under the skin of the Blue Jays to suddenly give them a reason to wake up and start playing a little more hungry and a little more desperate.

We'll see if there is any spill over effect from the comments on Wednesday, or when these two teams meet later in the season. If the Blue Jays managed to drag themselves out of this season long rut, the head-to-head games between themselves and the Rays could become even more emotionally charged.

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