ST. PETERSBURG Albert Pujols Jersey , Fla. (AP) — Heightened expectations don’t scare the Tampa Bay Rays. as a team on the rise, but one that’s undaunted by the challenge of closing the gap between themselves and the big-spending Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.The Rays won more games any team that didn’t make playoffs in 2018 and are confident they have what it takes to end a five-year postseason hiatus.The quest begins March 28 at home against the Houston Astros, and manager Kevin Cash understandably is optimistic.The Rays bolstered a pitching rotation led by Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell by signing right-harder Charlie Morton this winter and feel good about adding catcher Mike Zunino, infielder Yandy Diaz and outfielders Avisail Garcia and Guillermo Heredia to the roster, too.“This is a new group. It’s a little bit more established group. We’ve brought in some new additions, and we kind of want to create something even more special going forward,” Cash said.“When you have a young club that just won 90 games it’s easy to have a lot of optimism about what’s ahead. But it’s also hard to win 90 games. A lot of things went our way to help us get there,,” general manager Erik Neander said. “I think this group will stay humble and will be motivated to come out and prove last year, and certainly the last couple months of the season, weren’t a fluke,”Tampa Bay overcame a slow start by going 41-25 after the All-Star break, including 19-9 in September, to finish third in the tough AL East — 18 games behind the world champion Red Sox and 10 in back of the Yankees, who won 108 and 100 games, respectively.Not bad at all for a team that overhauled the roster with a series of salary-lashing moves both before and during the season to launch a youth movement that spawned for a brighter future.Cash is confident increased expectations would faze the Rays.“I don’t look at it as pressure,” the manager said. “I think our guys should feel good about what they accomplished, but also we all recognize we came up short, so we have to improve. Knowing the way these guys carried themselves in the last couple of months of the season, they are going to embrace whatever pressure there is.”Some other things to know about the 2019 Rays:NEW FACESMorton was an All-Star for the first time last season Mike Trout Jersey , when he went 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA for the Astros. The Rays gave him a two-year, $30 million contract and is plugging him into a three-man rotation with Snell and Tyler Glasnow.Zunino helps defensively and hit 20 homers in 113 games with the Mariners last year. An All-Star two years ago with the White Sox, looks to rebound after injuries contributed to a .236 batting average with 19 homers and 49 RBIs in 93 games in 2018.OPENERSCash plans to continue use of “openers” — relievers who start games and generally get three to six outs — to fill the fourth and fifth turns through the rotation. The Rays used traditional starters 84 times last season, and the team went 32-23 in 55 games started by openers. The remaining 23 starts were filled with “bullpen days” started by a relievers who usually worked deeper into games than openersENCOREThe success of Tampa Bay’s openers grabbed the attention of several teams that have tried a variation of the creative strategy that was a big part of Tampa Bay’s success a year ago. The Rays’ 3.50 ERA after May 19, when Cash used an opener for the first time, was third-best in the majors. The strategy has drawn criticism, too, with some pitchers from other other teams suggesting it devalues traditional starting pitching.“It’s different. It’s unique,” Cash said. “There’s no doubt baseball has done one thing for many consecutive years kind of one way, and it changed a lot of thoughts, perceptions and a lot of debate.”ROOKIES TO WATCHRight-handler Brent Honeywell missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The top prospect is back and, barring a setback, could be ready to make his major league debut as early June. Catcher Michael Perez, infielder/outfielder Brandon Lowe, reliever Ian Gabault and first baseman Nate Lowe could help at some point.RARE COMPANYThe Rays have won 90 or more games six times since 2008, tied with the Yankees. Only the Red Sox and Dodgers, with seven each, have more over that span. Felix Hernandez says he’s all set for a bounce-back season.Now pitching entirely from the stretch, King Felix made his spring training debut Saturday, giving up four runs in 1 1/3 innings as the Seattle Mariners lost to the San Diego Padres 6-4.The six-time All-Star allowed four hits http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey , only one of them solid. He didn’t walk anyone, but hit a batter and threw just 23 strikes in 42 pitches.“The most important thing is that my arm and my body feel good,” Hernandez said. “The pitches were moving, the curveball was really good.”Hernandez turns 33 in April and is entering his 15th season in Seattle — and the final year of his seven-year, $175 million contract. The Mariners hold a team option for 2020.Long the ace of the Seattle staff, he is coming off the worst year of his career, posting a 5.55 ERA in 155 2/3 innings and being removed from the rotation for the first time in his career.During the offseason, Hernandez decided to work from the set position.“I feel good from the stretch. I just feel like I’m going straight to the plate,” he said. “Not too much movement. From the windup, I got to do a lot of stuff.”AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUESRED SOX 8, YANKEES 5Gleyber Torres hit a solo home run for the Yankees. Rafael Devers had two hits for Boston and top prospect Michael Chavis hit a three-run homer.METS 4, BRAVES 3Robinson Cano hit a go-ahead single for the Mets and highly touted Pete Alonso homered on the first pitch he saw this spring. Touki Toussaint started for Atlanta, allowing two runs on two hits.CARDINALS 11, MARLINS 1St. Louis ace Miles Mikolas pitched two perfect innings. Sandy Alcantara threw two scoreless innings for Miami.PIRATES 3, PHILLIES 2Jean Segura went 1 for 3 in his first game with Philadelphia while fellow newcomers Andrew McCutchen and J.T. Realmuto were both hitless in two trips.ORIOLES 7, TWINS (SS) 2Chance Sisco hit a three-run homer for Baltimore and rotation hopeful Yefry Ramirez allowed a run on two hits and two walks in two innings. Jake Cave had two hits for Minnesota’s split squad.TIGERS 4, BLUE JAYS 0Detroit starter Matt Moore pitched two scoreless innings and Niko Goodrum had a two-run homer. Teoscar Hernandez had two of Toronto’s four hits.ROCKIES 7, DIAMONDBACKS 3David Dahl doubled twice for Colorado. Colton Welker, drafted by the Rockies in 2016 out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida Garrett Richards Jersey , hit a home run.Steven Souza Jr. homered for Arizona.CUBS 8, BREWERS 4Kris Bryant hit a home run in his first spring at-bat and also singled for Chicago. The former NL MVP worked over the winter to strengthen the left shoulder that robbed him of his typical power last season.Corey Ray, Milwaukee’s first-round draft pick in 2016, homered and doubled.INDIANS 3, REDS 3, 9 INNINGSMatt Kemp hit a two-run homer in his Cincinnati debut. Tyler Naquin homered for Cleveland.ROYALS 9, RANGERS 1Alex Gordon doubled and singled for Kansas City and Jorge Soler added an RBI single.Matt Davidson, signed to a minor league contract by Texas, started at third base and had a hit. He is slotted to work as both an infielder and a pitcher this spring.DODGERS 7, WHITE SOX (SS) 6Russell Martin marked his return to the Dodgers with an RBI double. He caught five seasons for LA and returned in a trade with Toronto. Joc Pederson homered for the Dodgers and Rich Hill pitched a fast inning.D.J. Peterson homered for Chicago.ANGELS 10, GIANTS 3Taylor Ward hit a grand slam for the Angels and Peter Bourjos had a two-run single.ATHLETICS 6, WHITE SOX (SS) 5Stephen Piscotty homered for Oakland. Yoan Moncada had two hits for Chicago, driving in a run and scoring once.PADRES 6, MARINERS 4Jose Pirela doubled and singled for San Diego. Shed Long, a former Reds prospect acquired in a three-team trade with the Yankees, homered for Seattle.NATIONALS 7, ASTROS 6Anthony Rendon homered and Spencer Kieboom added a three-run shot for Washington. Jake Marisnick led off with a home run against Nationals ace Max Scherzer, who threw 44 pitches in two innings.TWINS (SS) 10, RAYS 5Byron Buxton hit a three-run homer and a two-run single for Minnesota. Nelson Cruz scored twice in his Twins debut.