I’m not saying this team is bad, but I don’t think their record tells the whole story. The Tampa Bay Rays are one win away from becoming the first team in over 140 years of baseball to go 14-0 to start off a season…but is this actually a World Series caliber roster?
Like I said, this Rays team is one of the best teams in all of the MLB right now…but I think this record may be inflating how good they actually are.
Of course, the Rays have easily been the most dominating team as they not only have won their last 13 games, but they’ve done so by record-breaking margins.
Currently, the Rays have scored 101 runs (the most in the MLB), they have 36 home runs (the most in the MLB), they have badly outscored their opponents with a +71 rating (the highest in the MLB), they have had 99 RBIs (the most in the MLB), they have gained 249 total bases so far (the most in the MLB), they have a collective .289 batting average (the highest in the MLB), they have a .364 on base percentage (the highest in the MLB), and they have an incredible .576 slugging percentage (the highest in the MLB).
And those are just the hitting stats they rank #1 overall in the MLB.
Clearly, this is the hottest hitting team in the country as their first four hitters, Yandy Diaz (.275 batting average), Brandon Lowe (.333 batting average), Randy Arozarena (.314 batting average), and Wander Franco (.321), all have at least a .275 batting average, 3 home runs, 9 RBIs, 10 runs, and 11 hits. That’s insane for the top of an order!
Reversely, the pitching has been just as lethal as the hitting as the Rays currently rank 1st overall in ERA (2.23), 1st overall in shoutouts (4), 2nd overall in quality starts (7), tied-1st overall in lowest hits allowed (79), 1st overall in lowest earned runs allowed (29), 1st overall in lowest home runs allowed (6), tied-1st overall in lowest opposing batting average (.189).
Obviously, the Rays’ pitching rotation has been lights out, but some of the stats these guys are putting up are insane.
Drew Rassmussen is currently 2-0, has a sensational 0.00 ERA, and has 15 strikeouts, starter Jeffrey Springs has been just as good also with a 2-0 record, a 0.56 ERA, and 24 strikeouts, Shane McClanahan has the best record at 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 21 strikeouts, and reliever Jalen Beeks has been great with a 1.80 ERA and 4 strikeouts.
Okay, with all of the deserved praise out of the way, I think this team isn’t as good as their historic numbers are telling.
Sure, as I’ve meticulously pointed out, the Rays are near the top of the league in every single stat, but such statistics don’t take into account how poor one’s opponents may or may not be. So far, the Rays have gone unbeaten against the mighty Oakland Athletics (3-10), the terrifying Detroit Tigers (3-9), the devastating Washington Nationals (3-9), and the heroic Boston Red Sox (5-8). A group of teams with a combined record of 14-36, and an average divisional position of 5th.
Do I need to say more?
Now, winning every single game against bad teams is pretty much unprecedented as most great teams usually go 10-3 or 11-2 over said run of games, so I’ll give the Rays all the credit in the world to utterly sweep aside these bottom-feeders.
Yet, I’m not going to go all the way and say the Rays are the presumptive World Series winners as they’ve yet to play against a team with a winning percentage greater than .400, let alone one that actually has winning record.
That test comes tonight and this weekend as they face off against their divisional rivals the Toronto Blue Jays, who currently sit second in the AL East with an 8-5 record.
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