It's still quite early in the 2023 Major League Baseball season, but already the Tampa Bay Rays are well on their way to a sixth-straight winning season and fifth-straight playoff berth. That's because at this writing the Rays have barged to a 11-0 start. It's fair to point out that the streak thus far has come against what's likely lackluster competition -- i.e., the Tigers, Nationals, A's, and Red Sox -- but 11 straight wins to begin a season is deeply impressive in any context.
Not surprisingly, the Rays' current run numbers among the longest season-opening win streaks ever recorded. Speaking of which, let's have a quick look of where the Rays' mark stands among those great opening acts in MLB history.
Atlanta Braves
1982
13
89-73
Lost NLCS
Milwaukee Brewers
1987
13
91-71
Missed postseason
Oakland Athletics
1981
11
64-45*
Lost ALCS
Tampa Bay Rays
2023
11 (and counting)
TBD
TBD
Brooklyn Dodgers
1955
10
98-55-1
Won World Series
Pittsburgh Pirates
1962
10
93-68
Missed postseason
Cleveland Indians
1966
10
81-81
Missed postseason
*-Season shortened by labor stoppage
Only one of the above teams -- the 1955 Dodgers -- went on to win the World Series. However, two teams who started their seasons 9-0 and just missed this list, the 1984 Detroit Tigers and 1990 Cincinnati Reds, wound up hoisting the trophy. Also worth noting is that two of the above teams that missed the playoffs, the '87 Brewers and '62 Pirates, probably would've made it under the current alignments and expanded postseason.
As for Tampa Bay's road ahead, they have two more games against the Red Sox at home, and then their biggest test of the season comes with a three-game road series against the Blue Jays that starts on Friday. Potentially that series opener against the Jays will occasion the Rays' attempt to break the record shared by the '82 Braves and '87 Brewers.
