The Tampa Bay Rays are baseball’s best team, and here’s why

The Tampa Bay Rays are the best team in baseball record-wise. Entering play on May 30, the ball club down in Tampa has a 39-17 record (including an amazing start to the season), with a 4.0-game cushion over second-place Baltimore. I am here to detail why this Rays team is no joke, and why I believe they have a real opportunity to win more than 100 games in the 2023 season.

Kevin Cash might be the best manager in baseball

You can’t have a winning team without a winning manager, right? Well, since Kevin Cash took over the Rays back in 2014, the Rays have been playoff contenders every single season, including a 2020 American League pennant. Cash shares the philosophy of the Rays front office: platoon, platoon, platoon! Cash does as good a job as anybody in managing the matchups, lineups, and bullpen. The Rays will go as far as Kevin Cash leads them, and I believe that will be a pretty long journey this season.

The Tampa Bay Rays offense is for real

Isaac Parades, Taylor Walls, Josh Lowe and Yandy Diaz. Have you ever heard of these players? If not, you should. They are all having career years for the Rays this season. I believe Yandy Diaz is even an MVP candidate. These offensive weapons among household names like Randy Arozarena and Wander Franco give Kevin Cash quite the options for his lineup every single day.

The pitching has stepped up

Coming into this season, the only question mark the Rays had was their pitching. Rest assured, they have been just fine. New addition Zack Eflin has taken a huge stride, Shane Mclanahan is a Cy Young candidate, and Tyler Glasnow is back. The bullpen needs work, but I am confident they will address that at the trade deadline.

The Rays are one of baseball’s best clubs. If they continue this trajectory and if they continue to use their players the right way, there is no reason Tampa Bay can’t win more than 100 games in 2023.