Are the Tampa Bay Rays Legitimate World Series Contenders?
The Tampa Bay Rays are off to a historic start to the regular season, but it’s fair to wonder whether they should be considered World Series contenders.
The Rays enter their weekend series with the Toronto Blue Jays with a perfect 13-0 record, but critics are looking at the competition they’ve faced and wondering if this is a mirage. Tampa Bay swept the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics, and Boston Red Sox.
Let’s get this out of the way; none of these teams are even slightly considered postseason contenders. Still, baseball is a sport of percentages, and winning two-of-three games in a series will have a team repping an elite record in October. Even though the competition hasn’t been immense, the Rays’ run is extremely rare. Momentum in baseball is only as good as your next day’s starting pitcher, and it’s one of the most challenging sports to maintain success. That’s what makes Tampa Bay’s streak even more impressive.
The Rays usually conjure thoughts of a well-run organization that produces high-quality pitchers while manufacturing runs. But Tampa Bay isn’t just beating their competition; they’re blowing them out. It’s unsustainable, but we can see why the Rays continue to have their American League and World Series odds bet down. Pitching and defense win championships, and you won’t find a more fundamentally sound organization than Tampa Bay. When healthy, the Rays will have a rotation featuring Shane McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow, Jeffrey Springs, and Drew Rasmussen. How will teams compete with a pitching staff with those arms in a seven-game playoff series?
The Rays will be competitive all year because of their pitching, and they have an offense that knows how to get on base. If Wander Franco continues to break out and turns into the superstar talent many believe he is, the Rays are a legitimate contender. Franco is already off to a torrid start through 13 games, owning a 1.048 OPS. The biggest concern surrounding him is whether or not he can stay healthy. Franco could be a dark horse MVP candidate in the American League if he does.
The American League East is loaded, and there’s no guarantee the Rays will come out on top. Still, the Rays have demonstrated that they must be taken seriously as a legitimate threat to win the World Series. The Rays boast +1000 odds to win the World Series on the FanDuel Sportsbook, and with the oddsmakers giving them respect, bettors should too.
