Rays set franchise record, tie...

The Tampa Bay Rays' amazing winning run appeared to be coming to an end many times on Thursday. In the end, though, the squad demonstrated that perseverance is its greatest asset with a 9-3 thrashing of the Boston Red Sox.

The Rays are now 13-0 to start the 2023 MLB season. This is the longest winning streak in Rays history, and it also equals the MLB record for the greatest start to a regular season. Both the 1982 Atlanta Braves and the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers started the season 13-0.

The final box score made Thursday's win against the Red Sox appear to be a blowout, but it wasn't always that way. The Rays were thrust into uncharted territory almost quickly, as Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder hit a single home run in the top of the first inning to put Boston up 1-0.

Yandy Daz, the Rays' first baseman, ensured that the team's disadvantage would not last long. To lead off the bottom of the first, he smashed a game-tying home run on the fourth ball he saw from Corey Kluber.

After giving up the early runs, Kluber and Rays starter Jeffrey Springs settled in. In the second and third innings, neither team scored, keeping the game tied.

The Rays, on the other hand, were put to the test again in the top of the fourth. Springs seemed uneasy on the mound after getting a fast 0-2 count on Justin Turner to start the session. As manager Kevin Cash and an athletic trainer came to see him, he looked down at his left hand. Springs was removed from the game after delivering one warmup pitch. The Rays subsequently stated that he had left arm ulnar neuritis and had to leave the game. He will be assessed again on Friday.

The injury seemed to signal the end of the team's winning streak. Springs looked like one of the finest pitchers in baseball in his previous two starts, pitching six no-hit innings against the Detroit Tigers and seven shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics. It appeared like losing Springs versus the Red Sox would have a negative impact on team morale.

That appeared to be the case at first. Turner doubled despite being behind 0-2 in the count. Enrique Hernández drove him in a few batters later, giving the Red Sox a 2-1 lead. Garrett Cleavinger, who relieved Springs, gave up another run in the fifth, bringing the score to 3-1.

Rays off to best regular-season start in more than 30 years

The Rays' dominance against opponents to begin the 2023 season cannot be overstated. According to MLB's Sarah Langs, the Rays trailed after only six innings of Thursday's game.

The squad already has a +71 run differential, which means it has outscored opponents by 71 runs thus far this season. This statistic is far greater than the 13-0 starts of the 1982 Braves and 1987 Brewers.

Critics have pointed out that the Rays haven't encountered particularly difficult opposition this season. Before facing the Red Sox, the squad began the season with series against the Tigers, Washington Nationals, and Oakland Athletics, all of which were regarded as among the weakest teams in baseball.

At the same time, the squad cannot be blamed for thriving in the face of poor competition. If the Rays are genuinely great, they should be crushing inferior opponents. That's precisely what they're doing, and regardless of how poor their opponents end up being, a +71 run differential is unfathomable.

The Rays will aim to extend their winning streak against the Toronto Blue Jays on the road on Friday. With an MLB record on the line, Rays starter Drew Rasmussen will face Jays pitcher José Berros. To begin the 2023 season, Toronto has been among the strongest offensive teams in baseball, so going 14-0 should be difficult.

However, as the Rays demonstrated on Thursday, when things go tough, they make it seem simple.