The Tampa Bay Rays start to the season is simply magical. They have won 19 of their first 22 games for a phenomenal winning percentage of .864. Tampa Bay is undefeated at home where they are a perfect 13-0 and have a remarkable runs for and against differential of +88 already, and we still have one more week of April left.
There is no doubt that the Rays have had great pitching. Their 61 runs allowed are the least in Major League Baseball. However, the Rays are scoring runs at a prolific pace too. Their 149 runs scored also leads the Major Leagues, as they have 10 more runs than the second place Texas Rangers with 139 runs scored.
The Rays are hitting the baseball extremely hard. They have hit 48 home runs as a team, which leads the majors. The Los Angeles Dodgers are in second with 43 home runs.
It is the consistency that the Rays are hitting home runs that deserves the highest praise. So far this season, Tampa Bay has hit a home run in all 22 of their games. That is a Major League record for the most games with a home run to start the season. The Seattle Mariners set the previous record by hitting a home run in their first 20 games in 2019.
Record setting performance
The Rays broke the Mariners record with 21 straight games with a home run on Saturday with a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox. Rays leftfielder Randy Arozarena hit a two-run first inning home run off of White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease which scored first baseman Yandy Diaz. For Arozarena, it was his fifth home run of the season.
Then on Sunday, the Rays extended their record streak to 22 games with a 4-1 win over the White Sox. The Rays got home runs from right fielder Luke Raley and designated hitter Harold Ramirez. For Raley, it was a two-run home run that scored third baseman Isaac Paredes and for Ramirez it was a solo shot. Heading into Monday’s action, Diaz and second baseman Brandon Lowe lead the Rays with six home runs each.
Jeffrey Springs out for the year
The news is not all great for the Rays. That is because over the weekend it was reported that starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs of Belmont, North Carolina would be out for the remainder of the season with Tommy John Surgery. Springs lost sensation in his pitching hand in a 9-3 Tampa Bay win over Boston on April 13. He was 2-0 with a sizzling earned run average of 0.50 to start the season.
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