The Tampa Bay Rays are on such a hot streak that it’s hard to decide which of their stats is the most impressive.
They are the first team to start the season with a 9-0 record since the Kansas City Royals in 2003. They scored the most points in the majors (75) while allowing the fewest (18).
The team has won all of its matches by at least four points. It was the 1939 New York Yankees who were the last team to be so dominant for so long, no matter what point in the season. They had then won 10 consecutive games by a margin of four points or more.
PHOTO CHRIS O’MEARA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advanced statistics? Absolutely ! According to Baseball Savant, there is only one game in which the odds of winning (win odds) of the Rays found themselves below 30% at one point in the game.
It happened last Tuesday, when the Washington Nationals led the Rays 6-4 after seven innings. They were still ahead 6-5 after eight, before the Rays scored five times in the ninth to win 10-6.
The Rays only trailed in one more game: the Oakland Athletics led 1-0 in the second last Friday before the Rays scored six runs on their next turn en route to a 1-0 win. 9-5.
This streak still leaves some doubts: the Rays have succeeded against the Detroit Tigers, the Nationals and the A’s, three clubs which have lost a total of 305 games in 2022 and which should be among the worst in MLB this season too. Are the Rays that good or are these teams that bad?
We’ll know the answer very soon, but for now the Rays can look forward to a dominant start to the season.
Hard blow in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Pirates lost the services of talented young shortstop Oneil Cruz, who suffered a broken ankle while sliding at the plate on Sunday.
PHOTO GENE J. PUSKAR, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oneil Cruz
This is a blow for the Pirates, who have had a promising start so far. They also beat the Chicago White Sox 1-0 for their fifth win in six games. They post a 6-3 record and are only one game behind the first rank of the National Central, held by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Bryan Reynolds, still with the Pirates despite demanding a trade this winter, is averaging .405/.415/.919.