Bucs-Browns Preview & Rays Win 6th Straight, Closing In On AL East Title

Bucs-Browns Preview & Rays Win 6th Straight, Closing In On AL East Title

Author: Tampa Bay Times September 18, 2026 Duration: 30:16

Rick Stroud and Steve Versnick preview Sunday's Bucs home opener against Cleveland, and Rick doesn't hold back: this is a game the Buccaneers should win comfortably against a young, still-finding-itself Browns team under first-year head coach Todd Monken. They dig into Monken's history with Baker Mayfield in Cleveland, why last week's four fumbles (not interceptions) have to be cleaned up, and how a broken communicator in Baker's helmet contributed to the Week 1 mess. Rick's bottom line: turnovers are the only thing that beats the Bucs in this one.


Then it's all Rays, and there's a lot to celebrate. Tampa Bay swept the Sacramento A's to push their winning streak to six, trimming the magic number over the Yankees to single digits with a five-game division lead and just ten to play. Drew Rasmussen picked up his 15th win a day after Nick Martinez got his — both with ERAs under three, an eye-popping stat line for one rotation. The Chandler Simpson-versus-Jordan Alvarez batting title race is a game-to-game swing, Taylor Walls is back and delivering in clutch spots, and the guys openly wonder whether a 100-win, historically great Rays regular season could still hit a wall against better postseason pitching. They close with a look at the weekend's college football, headlined by LSU-Ole Miss, Florida at Auburn, and USF hosting Delaware State.


Segments:


  • Bucs-Browns preview: why Tampa Bay should win big, turnovers as the only threat, Monken's Baker Mayfield history
  • Rays sweep the A's, six-game win streak, shrinking magic number over the Yankees
  • Rasmussen and Martinez both notch win No. 15; the case for AL Cy Young support
  • Simpson vs. Alvarez batting race and whether the Rays' offense holds up in October
  • Taylor Walls back and contributing; lineup depth beyond Caminero
  • College football weekend preview: LSU-Ole Miss, Florida-Auburn, USF-Delaware State
  • Sponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


For a daily dose of Tampa Bay sports talk that feels like a conversation with the most plugged-in friends you have, there's Sports Day Tampa Bay. This weekday podcast from the Tampa Bay Times is anchored by award-winning journalist Rick Stroud and co-host Steve Versnick, who bring a newsroom's rigor and a fan's passion to each episode. Instead of just rehashing scores, they dig into the nuances behind them-the strategy shaping the Buccaneers' defense, the roster decisions facing the Rays front office, or the playoff mentality driving the Lightning. The discussion naturally spans the full spectrum of local teams, including USF athletics, providing context that often gets lost in quick headlines. What you'll hear is analysis grounded in decades of institutional knowledge and reporting access, offering a perspective that turns the day's news into a deeper understanding of the games and the people who play them. Tune in each morning for this essential, insider-focused update that has become a routine for fans who want more than the highlight reel.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Sports Day Tampa Bay
Podcast Episodes
Rick and Tom On Jon Gruden As A Play-By-Play Announcer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:32
Rick Stroud is joined by Tom Jones to tell some old stories and discuss the news that Jon Gruden is going to be the play-by-play announcer for a Bucs game this preseason. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i…
Bucs Preview: Offensive Players That Need To Break Out This Season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:47
Rick Stroud and Steve Versnick preview the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive players that need to break out this season for the Bucs to regain their crown as the NFC South champions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f…
Bucs Preview: Defensive Players That Need To Break Out This Season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:01
Rick Stroud and Steve Versnick preview the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive players that need to break out this season for the Bucs to regain their crown as the NFC South champions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f…
What To Expect in College Football This Season [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:46
Rick Stroud is joined once again by Matt Baker from The Athletic to discuss this season of College Football. Who will be good, how will first year coaches at USF and Florida do, can Miami make it back to the playoff and…