MLB · Week of Oct 12–18

Tampa Bay Rays

3-2 this week · 3-2 overall · vs CLE, @ CLE

Misery Index · Uneasy · ▲ from 29

The week, game by game

Each game's fan misery, from first comment to the next game. ● marks a blowup.

Mon, Oct 12L 3-7vs CLE60
Tue, Oct 13W 3-1vs CLE50
Thu, Oct 15L 2-3@ CLE81
Sat, Oct 17W 7-3@ CLE52
Sun, Oct 18W 3-1@ CLE46

The emotional rollercoaster

Fan misery across the week, every six hours. Up is worse. Dashed lines are games.

Worst game: Thu, Oct 15, L 2-3 @ Cleveland Guardians

In-game fan misery, every 15 minutes.

What happened

Five games against Cleveland, and the fanbase aged a decade. The 3-7 opener brought a bullpen decision one fan called an "all-time wait what the fuck are they doing moment." The 2-3 loss, decided by "a fucking meatball pitch," pushed misery to its peak and the series to the brink. Then the 7-3 win on the road flipped everything, followed by 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead. The bats stayed "utter dogshit." Somehow, that's working.

What fans said

“pretty classic raysball this game. cobble together a few runs, shut it down the rest of the way, give all their fans heart palpitations in the last three innings”
u/CruelRuin▲ 105frustration
“What hurts most about this ALCS, is that while Tampa Bay is better than Cleveland, it's not like the Yankees series in 2024.”
@GuardsBurner_♥ 1.2kdespairRival fan
“The Tampa Bay Rays, who have been to the World Series once in 2008, are one game away from their second World Series appearance”
@247Rays♥ 1.2khope
“The Tampa Bay Rays have never won a game 6 in franchise history”
@BeardDaDon♥ 542frustration
“Again. Drew Rasmussen is the greatest pitcher in Tampa Bay Rays history.”
@RandylandSZN♥ 470pride
“But we’re good enough to beat ANYONE”
@JacobsFieldRBW♥ 377hopeRival fan

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What fans posted

The memes and clips Tampa Bay Rays fans shared on X and Reddit around this week's games. ⚡ means it was posted during a big swing.

Game 1 · Mon, Oct 12 · L 3-7 vs CLE · CLE leads 1-0

PGT: Just a stinker of an opening game for the boys. [F: 3-7]
u/Ranma_chan▲ 174gallows humor
▶ 0:02
“The Rays are going to cakewalk into the World Series” The Guardians:
@DollarDogNick♥ 295gallows humor
The Guardians accomplished more in Game 1 vs. the Rays than the Yankees did in an entire series
@OnyxOdds♥ 166schadenfreude
u/Lonnie15▲ 16frustration
▶ 1:00
GUARDIANS WIN AND STUN THE RAYS AT THE TROP MY GOD WOW.. IM SO IMPRESSED #GUARDIANS #RAYS #POSTSEASON
@JoezMcfLy♥ 108trolling
The Cleveland Guardians now have as many hits in game one of the ALCS as the New York Yankees had in the ENTIRE ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays
@LombardIsKing_♥ 40schadenfreude

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Game 2 · Tue, Oct 13 · W 3-1 vs CLE · Series tied 1-1

⚡ swing
This is no way to sugarcoat this.. This is an absolute embarrassing showing by the residents of St Pete/Tampa tonight. Your team is a group of overachievers and you have thousands of empty seats. Absolutely pathetic! Support the @RaysBaseball ‼️ 📸 @EvanRobertsWFAN
@ScottFriedman3♥ 380frustration
PGT: Rays shake off yesterday's blues and secure a tidy little win in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series! [F: 3-1]
u/Ranma_chan▲ 520trolling
Freddy Peralta: 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 K. Guardians bats: 👀 Rays win 3-1, ALCS tied 1-1.
@PlayBracco♥ 90trolling
Freddy Peralta and the Rays even up the series ! The ALCS heads to Cleveland tied 1-1!
u/MLBOfficial▲ 135pride
⚡ swing
@MLB @RaysBaseball Steve Cohen watching Freddy Peralta on the Rays
@ROBNYCSN♥ 41trolling
LOCAL STINGRAY IN GREAT MOOD!
u/MLBOfficial▲ 45joy

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Game 3 · Thu, Oct 15 · L 2-3 @ CLE · CLE leads 2-1

PGT: Regroup and battle back tomorrow? [F: 2-3]
u/Ranma_chan▲ 224gallows humor
⚾ Rays @ Guardians 10/15/2026 Final: Rays 2, Guardians 3 Deserve-to-Win: Rays 3% / Guardians 87% (Tie 10%) #MLB #RaysUp #GuardsBall
@mlb_simulator♥ 96despair
▶ 2:01
My thoughts on today’s Game 3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians #RaysUp
@iAmNickWize♥ 80despair
Caminero today
u/helloWorld69696969▲ 193frustration
▶ 0:12
@RaysBaseball @budweiserusa LMFAOOO WHAT AN AT BAT CAMINERO 👀👀👀💩💩💩💩💩
@neverluckybro♥ 49trolling
▶ 0:30
the guardians and rays realizing whoever advances has to face the team who swept the dodgers
@Hardpard♥ 47gallows humor

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Game 4 · Sat, Oct 17 · W 7-3 @ CLE · Series tied 2-2

u/CakedUpMothman▲ 24trolling
⚡ swing
Not letting grandma out until yall score some runs @RaysBaseball
@ExtendKevinCash♥ 220trolling
🚨 Rays are luck merchants! 🚨 ⚾ Rays @ Guardians 10/17/2026 Final: Rays 7, Guardians 3 Deserve-to-Win: Rays 27% / Guardians 59% (Tie 14%) #MLB #RaysUp #GuardsBall
@mlb_simulator♥ 204sarcasm
▶ 0:16
JUNJOR CAMINERO, LA MAXIMA, LFGGGGGGG, SINGLE RBI 🙏❤️⚾️🔥🔥🔥 #RaysUp #ForTampaBay (my video)
@bucsnationx210♥ 41hype
⚡ swing
I hope the Guardians win because their fans are far more loyal, and actually turn up to support their team. Rays fans are widely-regarded as some of the least passionate in pro sports.
@DanClarkSports♥ 37trolling
Second and third, no outs. Groundout. Strikeout. Popout. Need more runs @RaysBaseball
@ExtendKevinCash♥ 36frustration

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Game 5 · Sun, Oct 18 · W 3-1 @ CLE · TB leads 3-2

⚡ swing
PGT: Tampa Bay Rays take the series lead with a win in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series! Five more to immortality! [F: 3-1]
u/Ranma_chan▲ 804joy
GIF⚡ swing
RAYS WIN!! RAYS WIN!! #RaysUp @RaysBaseball
@CharleyBelcher♥ 134joy
leading our team rn btw
u/SnooCupcakes8607▲ 91trolling
GIF⚡ swing
The right side of the infield so far today. #RaysUp
@TayVictoria8♥ 93sarcasm
⚡ swing
u/Advanced_Candle9272▲ 47trolling
⚡ swing
Rays vs Guardians. Who ya got?
@JeffDye♥ 61trolling

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