The Rays are the hottest team in baseball, sitting at 7–0 and the only remaining undefeated team in the league. Tampa Bay has not only taken advantage of an easy schedule to start the season to stack wins, they have done so in historic fashion.
According to ESPN, the Rays became the first team in American League and National League history to win each of their first seven games by at least four runs. After winning by 10 runs on Opening Day, Tampa Bay has won each of its last six games by either four or five runs exactly.
The seven-game winning streak since Opening Day is noteworthy in of itself, as it’s the longest such streak since the Orioles started 7–0 in 2016. Of the 29 teams that started 7–0 in MLB history, five won the World Series, the last being the 2015 Royals.
The winning is a welcome sight to the Rays after Tampa Bay was swept by the Guardians in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last year. The team has played the Tigers, Nationals and Athletics so far, and Tampa Bay has taken advantage of playing those weak teams early on.
For the Rays, both the pitching and hitting have been on point in the first week. Wander Franco and Randy Arozarena are both off to hot starts, while starters Jeffrey Springs, Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen have combined to allow just two runs in 24 innings this season.
The Rays have two more games vs. Oakland this weekend before they play the Red Sox in their first divisional matchup of the season.
