The Tampa Bay Rays are on fire to start the 2023 Major League Baseball Seasonbut not everyone takes them seriously.
The Rays advanced to 11-0 on the season with a 7-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, moving to one win to set a franchise-record winning streak.
Members of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate a win over the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Monday. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Despite Tampa Bay’s start, ESPN pundit Chris «Mad Dog» Russo doesn’t take the Rays seriously as World Series contenders because they have hit.
THE RAYOS GET THEIR NINTH CONSECUTIVE WIN, WINNING BY A MARGIN NOT SEEN SINCE 1800
«Absolutely not. Let me throw cold water on it,» Russo said Wednesday on «First Take» when asked if Tampa Bay would return to a World Series.
«The Rays have beat the tigers, the Nationals, the Athletics — which are a Triple-A team — and the Red Sox, who they always beat,” he continued. “Twelve in a row in Tampa. I don’t take them seriously as a world champion team. They will win 90 games. But I put a lot of cold water on this winning streak.»
Tampa Bay Rays’ Brandon Lowe, center, celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., Saturday. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay reached the World Series in 2020, losing to the los angeles dodgers in six games.
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The Rays’ four opponents at the start of the season have a combined record of 13-31 as the team tries to tie the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers and the 1982 Atlanta Braves for the best start to a season in MLB history on Wednesday.
Tampa Bay is one of four teams since 1901 to win their first 11 games of the season.
Josh Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays walks around the bases after hitting a home run in the seventh inning during a game against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida on Tuesday. (Mike Ehrman/Getty Images)
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«History is not lost on us,» Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe said Tuesday. «We understand what’s going on, but we’re not putting any extra pressure on anything. We’re not looking at our schedule or our record right now… And it’s not one man doing it. It’s nice to know it’s one to one. nine, and if you don’t do the job, the next one will.»
During the winning streak, Tampa Bay has hit 29 home runs, tying the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals for the most home runs in 11 games.
Associated Press contributed to this report.