ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Rays return home to St. Pete on Friday to begin a weekend series with Oakland boasting a 6-0 record that is of historic proportions. They are the first team since the 1884 St. Louis Maroons to open with six victories with each by at least four runs.
You are forgiven if you do not recall the Maroons, whose season-opening streak of domination reached 13 games.
True, the Rays’ victims have been the rebuilding Tigers and a Washington club that is a shadow of the 2019 World Series champs. Still, it is most impressive how Tampa Bay has looked in taking a pair of three-game series to start 2023, and by a 44-13 margin.
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“The lineup, the way it has worked out the first six games, it does feel like whoever is in there is contributing,” said manager Kevin Cash, following Wednesday afternoon’s 7-2 win over the Nationals.
Pitching and defense have been superb. Shane McClanahan, Zach Eflin, Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen have combined to allow only three runs in 29 innings over five starts. Josh Fleming’s start against the Nats on Monday night (5 ER, 3 IP) is the lone blemish. The staff ERA overall is 2.00.
It helps when you have Manny Margot and Randy Arozarena going all out to take runs away in the outfield as they did Wednesday and as the former did in the season opener against Detroit.
“We should be very pleased with the way that we have played,” said Cash. “The consistency defensively, on the mound, at the plate. Our approach at the plate has really stood out. Just feels like we are making real good decisions.”
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Those decisions are paying off for a team that is hitting .284 with 13 homers. Wander Franco is off to a fantastic start batting .417 with a pair of homers and seven RBI. He is one of five Rays to have driven home at least five runners. Jose Siri’s eight RBI lead the way.
Given the continued struggles of the Athletics on and off the field, it should not come as a surprise if the Rays climb to 9-0 by the end of the weekend. The Red Sox visit the Trop for a four-game series that gets underway Monday.
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