If pitching is contagious, as many in baseball claim, the Tampa Bay Rays have an epidemic on their hands. Manager Kevin Cash and his red-hot pitching staff will begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays with the series opener Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The final weeks of a season that is ending short of the playoffs can be a drag for some players. But for those who haven’t previously had much of an opportunity in the big leagues, the late September games can provide a chance to establish themselves as potential key pieces for the next season or create trade interest.