Opposite dugout: Rays trying to stay on right side of .500, out of last place

Manager: Kevin Cash (1st season)

Record: 70-75

Last 10 games: 3-7

Who to watch: 2B Logan Forsythe (.283 with 16 HR, 60 RBIs), 3B Evan Longoria (19 HR, 68 RBIs), RHP Erasmo Ramirez (10-5, 3.75 ERA), RHP Jake Odorizzi (8-8, 3.26 ERA), RHP Brad Boxberger (3.81 ERA, 34 saves)

Season series vs. Orioles: 7-8

Pitching probables:

Sept. 17: RHP Chris Tillman vs. LHP Matt Moore, 7:10 p.m., MASN2
Sept. 18: LHP Wei-Yin Chen vs. LHP Drew Smyly, 7:10 p.m., MASN2
Sept. 19: RHP Kevin Gausman vs. RHP Erasmo Ramirez, 6:10 p.m., MASN2
Sept. 20: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez vs. RHP Jake Odorizzi, 1:10 p.m., MASN2

Inside the Rays:

The Rays host the Orioles for a four-game series, the final meeting of the season between two American League East foes with similar late-season goals. Tampa Bay wants to establish a little momentum heading into 2016, hopefully staying on the right side of .500 while doing so. Though the Rays challenged for the division lead - they were in first place as late as June 30 - they've more recently been focused on the break-even point (not to mention staying out of the AL East basement).

What went wrong? Offensively, a down power year from third baseman Evan Longoria, who leads the Rays with 19 homers and 68 RBIs, coincided with a lineup that doesn't offer the slugger much protection. The Rays have gotten a strong campaign from second baseman Logan Forsythe, who is hitting .283 and has torched the Orioles for a .404 average this season, but injuries, inconsistency and poor performances have subverted them. Tampa Bay has scored only 554 runs, the third-lowest total in the majors, and doesn't hit for much power. The Rays' 143 longballs rank 15th in the bigs and Tampa Bay produces the third-worst run support in the majors. But the lineup is filled with the kind of pesky hitters with some speed and gap power that can do damage when they string together hits.

If not for their decent pitching, the Rays could be looking up at the Red Sox. Despite a rotation that has been ravaged by injuries, the Rays still boast the eighth-best ERA (3.69) and eighth-fewest runs allowed (569) in the majors. Tampa Bay limits opponents to the lowest batting average (.238), so it's interesting to wonder what could have been with a little more pop behind the pitchers. Closer Brad Boxberger was an All-Star, but he's wilted in the second half, and his 3.81 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, six blown saves and 10 losses aren't the kind of stats an elite closer posts.

Lefty Matt Moore, who starts the series opener at The Trop on Thursday, hasn't done well in his comeback from April 2014 Tommy John surgery. Three times in his last four starts, he's surrendered five or more earned runs and he was sent to the minors in early August when it became too painful to watch him try to rebound against major league hitters. He's always had some control issues, but 16 walks to 23 strikeouts in only 36 1/3 innings (not to mention eight homers allowed and an 8.42 ERA) are serious red flags. Moore is 1-2 with an 8.24 ERA at home this season, but yields a .351/.418/.578 slash line (and a .386/.462/.584 mark against right-handed hitters). In his career versus the Orioles, he's 4-4 with a 4.33 ERA in nine games (eight starts). In his lone start against Baltimore this season, he allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings in St. Pete on July 26.

Drew Smyly is coming back from a torn labrum, and the southpaw, who is scheduled to start Friday night, has been strong of late, going 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA over his past five starts. But he's winless in three 2015 starts at The Trop, though he's posted a 2-1 record and 1.95 ERA in five night starts in 2015. He's tough when he allows guys to reach, as a .191/.222/.324 slash line with runners on and a .206 opponent average with runners in scoring position attest. On Sept. 1, he threw seven shutout innings at Camden Yards, securing a victory. In his career against Baltimore, Smyly is 3-0 with an 0.79 ERA and a save in seven games (four starts).

In his last start on Sept. 15, right-hander Erasmo Ramirez took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Yankees, then finished with a no-decision in a 4-1 loss. He'll start Saturday, hoping to post his first victory in six starts - he hasn't won since back-to-back victories in mid-August. Opponents hit only .227 against Ramirez, who limits foes to a .194/.261/.310 slash line at home, where the only homers he's yielded are seven solo shots. But with the bases loaded, opponents slash .467/.500/.667 with 15 RBIs. This will be his fourth start of 2015 against the O's, against whom he is 1-1 with a 4.12 ERA in four games overall. Lifetime, he's 2-1 versus Baltimore with a 4.01 ERA.

Right-hander Jake Odorizzi, who gets the nod in Sunday's finale, has been one of Tampa Bay's better pitchers at home, where he's 4-3 with a 2.78 ERA. Opponents are hitting only .226 against him, and his home splits show a strong .210/.265/.341 slash line against. He's beaten the Orioles in each of his two 2015 starts against them, working to a 2.84 ERA. He's 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA in seven career games (six starts) versus Baltimore.