The Tampa Bay Rays lost back-to-back games to the Baltimore Orioles last weekend but clinched their fifth consecutive playoff berth. They are still in the hunt for the AL East crown, but getting into the playoffs is the first goal.

Though the Rays players were upset with how the four-game series ended against the Orioles, clinching the playoffs is a positive. Brandon Lowe is ready to move on to the next goal: winning a championship.

“When you look at the bigger picture of it all, it's postseason baseball. It's what you want to do. It's the goal,” Lowe said, via Adam Berry. “It kind of starts the next goal of winning the World Series, and it's just another step to go.”

The Rays started the season 13-0 and had playoff aspirations from the jump. A tough stretch in July gave way to brighter days in August. Tampa Bay is 27-15 since the start of August.

With 11 games remaining, the Rays can still win the AL East and earn the top seed in the American League. Tampa Bay was in first place for 114 days this season but finds itself two games behind the Orioles with two weeks left in the regular season.

Rays players don’t seem too pleased with how they clinched their playoff spot. As long as the division title is within reach, Tampa Bay will attempt to regain its perch atop the American League standings. What a difference it makes being the one seed as opposed to being the four seed.