TAMPA — A month ago, they were lost. Couldn’t win at home, couldn’t get on a roll, couldn’t climb above .500. Not that long ago, there were eight teams ahead of them in the American League wild-card race.

Most of the same players remain today.

And most of the worries are long gone.

The Rays beat the Marlins 4-3 on Friday for their fourth consecutive victory and 18th win in their last 26 games. The Yankees are the only team in the American League on a hotter run since May 8.

And the Rays would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.

“It’s impressive to go out there and watch,” said starting pitcher Zack Littell, who threw six innings of one-run ball against Miami. “It’s something different every night, it feels like.”

Littell was talking about the diversity of the Tampa Bay of

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