WASHINGTON — While Taylor Swift remains the hottest ticket in town, the hottest team in the area calls Tropicana Field home. The Tampa Bay Rays won again Wednesday to improve to 6-0 on the young season.
It's not just that the Rays are winning; they are blowing other teams off the field. According to the Athletic, the Rays are outscoring their opponents by 4+ runs in every game this season.
For reference, the last team to do that was the 1884 St. Louis Maroons, the Athletic reported.
The offensive explosion from the Rays comes after last season, where the team's pitching helped carried the team as the lineup struggled to create runs.
Wander Franco, who spent much of last season on the disabled list, has started out the 2023 season strong. He's currently hitting .417 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Randy Arozarena has also hit the ground running with a batting average of .364 and six RBIs through the first six games.
Wednesday, the Rays pounded the Washington Nationals, 7-2 in Washington. The Rays were paced by Franco, who drove in two runs and also scored a run in the victory. Starting pitcher Shane McClanahan picked up his second victory in the game, striking out six and allowing just two earned runs.
The start of the season couldn't be going better for Tampa Bay, but it's a 162-game season and the team has a huge challenge in the AL East in the New York Yankees. But for now, the Rays are shining across MLB.
