The Red Sox are, naturally enough, perpetually measured against their rivals, the New York Yankees.
Even in winters in which the Red Sox are the defending champions, coming off a World Series triumph, there's great consternation about what the Yankees did to improve and angst that they have closed the gap, or worse, overtaken the Sox — on paper, at least.
But for now, just over two weeks into the season, it isn't the Yankees that the Red Sox should be most worried about. That's due in part to the injury plague which has struck the Yanks, sending half of their projected lineup to the IL, along with 40 percent of the starting rotation and key bullpen pieces, too.
It's also, however, a reflection of the Tampa Bay Rays, who came into Saturday with the second-best record in baseball and whom the Sox meet for the first time this season next weekend in a three-game weekend set at Tropicana Field.
It shouldn't be a huge surprise that the Rays are, this early at least, formidable. They won 90 games last year in a division that saw the two teams ahead of them both win 100 games.
But while the Red Sox scuffle because of poor performance from their rotation and the Yankees limp through the first month, the Rays are streaking and already are comfortably ahead of both their far more monied divisional competitors.
It was naturally assumed the Rays would pitch, because their rotation, which already boasted of Cy Young Award-winner Blake Snell, added veteran Charlie Morton. Meanwhile, Tyler Glasnow and Yonny Chirinos have combined to go 5-0 with a 0.60 ERA. Chirinos benefited last year from the "opener'' concept, adapting to the big leagues as the guy who would often handle the middle innings.
Now, he's on his own in a more conventional role and the Rays have utilized the opener in just two of their first 14 games.
But beyond the pitching, the Rays are also pounding the ball -- in the literal sense. Their 90.2 mph exit velocity heading into Saturday was the second-highest in the game. Tampa has scored at least once in the first inning 10 times in first 14 games, including a stretch of seven straight which marked the longest streak for any team since 2006.
And there's evidence that the Rays are capable of more. Despite being in the top third in runs scored across MLB, the Rays haven't hit well with runners in scoring position, with a slash line of .232/.349/.341. If, as expected, their performance in those spots improves, they'll be even more potent offensively.
"I don't think they're going away,'' remarked one evaluator who has seen the Rays quite a bit in the early going. "They catch the ball, they can pitch and their lineup is better than it's been in a while. They're a really well-run organization and their willingness to try new things should be commended.''
Another factor: there's more help on the way. Brent Honeywell, generally regarded as their best pitching prospect, is recovering from Tommy John surgery 14 months ago and could represent a big addition to the rotation in the second half.
The Red Sox will get a chance to see the Rays in person Easter weekend. They might not like what they see.
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