Tampa Bay Rays’ Record-Setting Win, Home Run Streaks Were Impressive While They Lasted

The lack of pulsating music in the Rays clubhouse was deafening. After all, a 5-0 loss to the Astros on Tuesday evening was their first defeat at Tropicana Field following a modern-era (since 1900) record 14 consecutive home wins from the start of a season.

Each win was followed by a clubhouse celebration that included music played at a wall-shaking volume that tested the foundation of the 33-year-old dome.

“It was a little weird walking in there with no music or anything like that, but I am guessing we will get the music back on soon,” said manager Kevin Cash.

It might also be a little weird in looking at the only teams that had longer home win streaks from the start of a season. For goodness sake, Grover Cleveland was serving his first term in office the last time a team had a streak longer than that of the Rays: the 1886 Detroit Wolverines, who won 18 in a row. The 1880 Chicago White Stockings hold the all-time mark with 21 and the 1884 St. Louis Maroons won their first 16 home games for third-longest streak. (The 1885 White Stockings also won 14 in a row.)

There is no reason to believe the party will not continue regardless of where the Rays are playing. While they may not go on any significant win streaks over the next five months, Cash’s team certainly has the personnel to at least win on a consistent basis.

While that remains to be seen, the numbers during their assault on the record book in the season’s first few weeks are staggering. In addition to their win streak under the dome, Tampa Bay opened the season with 13 straight wins to equal the modern-era mark of the 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1987 Milwaukee Brewers. The Rays also established a modern-era mark in hitting at least one home run in each of their first 22 games.

Before Luis Garcia and three relievers combined to blank the Rays on five hits Tuesday night, Tampa Bay had a plus-93 run differential (157-64) for the best such mark through 23 games in the modern era. The Rays still lead MLB with a .282 average.

“We have a lot of guys that are seeing ball really, really well and certainly finding holes,” said Kevin Cash said following a series-opening 8-3 win over the Astros. “Every night it seems like we’re just putting up a lot of good at-bats. We’re making pitchers work and we’re getting timely hits.”

In winning their first 14 games at home, the Rays outscored the opposition 102-34, an average of 7.3 runs scored with only 2.4 runs allowed. They outscored the Tigers and Athletics by a combined 52-8 in the first two home series, a total of six games.

What stood out about the 22-game home run streak was how everybody had a hand in it. The Rays homered 48 times and while no player hit more than six homers. Eight players hit at least four.

Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe lead the team with six home runs. Diaz hit nine homers last season and his career high is 14, which was in 2019, his first season in St. Pete. Harold Ramirez had five homers in his first 62 at-bats, one long ball removed from the six he hit in 2022 when he had 403 at-bats. He hit a career high 11 in his rookie season of 2019 with the Marlins.

Pitching and defense, the bedrock of the team’s success in recent years, has been just as vital as the potent lineup. In the first 22 games, the Rays allowed two runs or less 12 times. Through 24 games, the staff led MLB with a 2.82, a 1.06 WHIP and an opposition average of .197. Rays pitching recorded six shutouts in the first 19 games.

Those behind the pitchers have certainly helped. Whether it has been Manny Margot laying out, Taylor Walls vacuuming everything hit his way or Wander Franco dazzling with the leather – as well as his bear hand – the defense has been superb. Heading into Wednesday’s series finale between the teams, Tampa Bay’s fielding percentage of .991 was tied with Houston for the best mark in the American League.

With the win streaks and home run streak now in the books, literally and figuratively, the larger picture is that of a 162-game schedule. While winning any game is important, nothing is won in April.

“At some point we had to lose game at home,” said Randy Arozarena, through interpreter and Rays communications manager, Elvis Martinez. “That’s just baseball. We’re still in first place. Tomorrow is another day.”