Only 12 teams in baseball history have started a season with a longer undefeated streak than the 2023 Tampa Bay Rays.
On Saturday, it was an 11-0 win over the Oakland Athletics. Isaac Paredes and Randy Arozarena both had two-RBI singles to get the Rays going. Manuel Margot homered in the bottom of the sixth and later that inning Brandon Lowe clubbed a three-run shot to make this one a laugher. Again. Arozarena, who slugged a two-run homer in the eighth, has 10 RBI in eight games while slashing .367/.472/.667. Paredes has nine RBI. Wander Franco is hitting .364/.417/.727.
Jeffrey Springs was dominant on the hill, too, for the second time in two outings this season.
The Rays are now 8-0 and have outscored their opponents 64-18. That +46 run differential is nearly to last year's +52 mark and that was a full season for a playoff team. It's just been an absurd start.
The Rays are approaching history, too. As noted, only 12 teams have had a longer undefeated streak to start the season. Here they are:
13-0: 1987 Brewers, 1982 Braves
11-0: 1981 A's
10-0: 1966 Indians, 1962 Pirates, 1955 Dodgers*
9-0: 2003 Royals, 1990 Reds*, 1984 Tigers*, 1944 Browns, 1940 Dodgers, 1918 Giants
The asterisks note the teams listed that went on to win the World Series.
If there is any caveat to this run, it would be the weak schedule the Rays have played to this point. Their three opponents -- Tigers, Nationals and A's -- were widely expected to be among the worst teams in baseball this season. Even before the season started, there was an argument that they were the three worst.
Still, success in baseball is winning series. Good teams take care of business and a successful start for the Rays to this point would've been something like 6-2 or even 5-3. Instead, they are 8-0 and just bludgeoning teams.
Not only that, but they'll get better. Tyler Glasnow has ace upside and sports a 3.05 ERA (136 ERA+) with 364 strikeouts in 268 1/3 innings in his 50 career starts with the Rays. He's currently on the shelf with on oblique injury and will likely be back sometime in May.
When Glasnow does return, the Rays might well have three frontline starters in Shane McClanahan, Springs and Glasnow along with Drew Rasmussen and Zach Eflin as a pretty stellar 4-5 punch at the back-end of the rotation.
Regardless, the Rays are already flying high. They entered Saturday with a 2 1/2 game lead. That's pretty quick work in barely over a week.
