And the Rays worked with a much smaller budget than the behemoths of the game, making sustained contention difficult. Still, the signs did not point to a return to the World Series in 2020. The Rays were 0-4 in playoff series in the 11 years between World Series appearances. But Tampa Bay beat the Yankees in the 2020 division series, then eliminated the defending American League champion Houston Astros in the A.L.C.S. As World Series underdogs again last October, they took the Dodgers to six games before falling just short of the big prize.

Source: New York Times January 26, 2021 14:26 UTC