Rays off to one of their best 40-game starts ever

TORONTO -- The Tampa Bay Rays achieved one of their best starts ever, standing at 27-13 after their 8-5 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night at Rogers Centre. This record secures them the best record in the American League after 40 games. The team’s performance matches that of the 2020 club for the third-best 40-game start in franchise history, following the 2023 team at 30-10 and the 2010 team at 29-11. Only the Atlanta Braves, who are 28-13, have a better record in Major League Baseball (MLB) than the Rays, who were predicted to finish last in the AL East when the season commenced a little over six weeks ago.

"I’d like to keep this pace going," starter Drew Rasmussen stated. "Think we're gonna be in a really good spot if we can do that." The Rays have been on a strong run, winning nine of their last 10 games and an impressive 25 out of 33 since April 4. They boast a remarkable 19-3 record against AL competition. Research from MLB Network indicates the Rays are the first AL East team to win nine of their first ten games against divisional opponents since the 1992 Blue Jays.

The latest victory reflected their impressive teamwork. Though Rasmussen’s performance might not have been his best by his own standards, he effectively held the Blue Jays to only three runs over six innings, with a total of four hits and a walk while striking out six batters. This outing marked his franchise-record 46th consecutive start allowing four runs or fewer.

Manager Kevin Cash praised the pitching staff's confidence, saying, "What they're doing as kind of a unit is really, really impressive." Despite a two-run homer by Andrés Giménez in the seventh inning, the Rays had maintained a franchise-record 16-game streak of allowing three earned runs or fewer.

The Rays’ depth and versatility have played crucial roles in their success. Their contact rate of 82.8% is the highest in the Majors, alongside the second-lowest strikeout rate at 18.6%. Cedric Mullins highlighted their approach to the game, stating, "A lot of good things can happen when you move the ball."

With a spirit of teamwork, players like Jake Fraley and Richie Palacios stepped up despite limited playing time, contributing during a crucial three-run rally in the first inning. Palacios remarked, "Even when you're not starting, you're going to play on this team. Everybody's always ready, trying to do the best that they can with their skill set."

Shane McClanahan attributed the team’s success not solely to talent but also to the strong clubhouse chemistry. He humorously referred to it as the "power of friendship." Aranda continued to shine, leading the AL with 32 RBIs, including a broken-bat single and a Statcast-projected 415-foot homer against the Blue Jays. "Fortunately, I just play really well against them," Aranda stated.