A hot or cold start during the beginning of the marathon that is the Major League Baseball regular season doesn’t necessarily indicate a team’s talent or playoff potential.
Last year, the Yankees, Astros, and Red Sox all tore up the first month of play. New York finished April 18-10, Houston 20-10, and Boston 21-7. Each team went on to win 100 games and were awarded a ticket to the postseason, with, of course, Boston going on to win the championship.
Through 13 games in 2019, the Rays have set a similar tone for a memorable season.
Starting the season off against Houston and Colorado — 2018 playoff teams — looked like a tall order and the Rays put them in their place.