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No one has come out of the gates faster in this 2023 MLB season than the Tampa Bay Rays. The team has steamrolled through the first two weeks, capped off by a four-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox to move to 13-0 on the year. They’ve done it in dominating fashion, too, outscoring their opposition by a score of 101-30.
Granted, that opposition hasn’t been the fiercest — the Rays have faced the Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics and Washington Nationals in addition to the Red Sox so far, who entered play on Thursday with a combined record of 14-34 — but you can only play the teams on your schedule, and 13-0 is 13-0. Plus, well, they just look the part.
The swag is Out. Of. Control. pic.twitter.com/lSscuydY6i
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 8, 2023
But while Tampa’s start has undoubtedly been impressive, how does it compare to the best in MLB history?
The best starts in MLB history
The Rays had already wrapped up the best start to a season in the Wild Card era (since 1994), but their win on Thursday moved them into a three-way tie for the best start in any era. The record had been held by the 1982 Atlanta Braves and the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, both of whom also started 13-0. Here’s the full list:
Best starts to a season in MLB history
| Year | Team | Starting Streak | Final Record | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Starting Streak | Final Record | Result |
| 1982 | Atlanta Braves | 13-0 | 89-73 | 1st in NL East, lost 3-0 to Cardinals in NLCS |
| 1987 | Milwaukee Brewers | 13-0 | 91-71 | 3rd in AL East, missed postseason |
| 2023 | Tampa Bay Rays | 13-0 | TBD | TBD |
| 1981* | Oakland Athletics | 11-0 | 37-23; 27-22 | 1st & 2nd in AL West, lost 3-0 to Yankees in ALCS |
| 1955 | Brooklyn Dodgers | 10-0 | 98-55 | 1st in NL, defeated Yankees 4-3 in World Series |
| 1962 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 10-0 | 93-63 | 4th in NL, missed postseason |
| 1966 | Cleveland Indians | 10-0 | 81-81 | 5th in AL, missed postseason |
| 1918 | New York Giants | 9-0 | 71-53 | 2nd in NL, missed postseason |
| 1940 | Brooklyn Dodgers | 9-0 | 88-65 | 2nd in NL, missed postseason |
| 1944 | St. Louis Browns | 9-0 | 89-65 | 1st in AL, lost World Series 4-2 to Cardinals |
| 1984 | Detroit Tigers | 9-0 | 104-58 | 1st in AL East, won World Series 4-1 vs. Padres |
| 1990 | Cincinnati Reds | 9-0 | 91-71 | 1st in NL West, won World Series 4-0 vs. Athletics |
| 2003 | Kansas City Royals | 9-0 | 83-79 | 3rd in AL Central, missed postseason |
As you can see, it didn’t work out too well in the long run for either of baseball history’s other 13-0 teams. If the Rays keep playing like this, though, we’d be willing to bet on a different outcome in 2023. (A personal favorite stat from this bonkers stretch: Tampa currently has more home runs hit than runs allowed.)
The schedule will certainly stiffen up for Tampa — next up is a trip to Toronto for a three-game weekend set against a dangerous Blue Jays team. First pitch is set for 7:07 p.m. ET from Rogers Centre, with Drew Rasmussen looking to pitch the Rays to 14-0 against Jose Berrios.