Rays' hot start doesn't guarantee long-term success

The Tampa Bay Rays are off to an incredible start, one not seen for decades. The team is 12-0 and will look for lucky 13 on Thursday the 13th against Boston.

Tampa Bay’s hot start, however, might not guarantee long-term success.

The 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1987 Milwaukee Brewers started the season with an MLB-record 13 wins, but neither hoisted the World Series championship trophy. The Brewers finished 91-71 and third in the AL East. The Braves finished 89-73 and won the NL East but were swept by the St. Louis Cardinals in the playoffs.

Only the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers won 10 or more to start the year and finished World Series champions.

The 162-game regular season is an incredible grind. Record-setting starts don’t guarantee deep playoff runs. Still, the streak is a marvel and sets up the Rays for a winning season, even if they stub their toe for a week.

The 12 straight wins also tied a Tampa Bay mark for consecutive wins at any point in a season. 

“That’s pretty awesome,” manager Kevin Cash said of his team's streak, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “Anytime that we’re doing something that is a franchise record, it’s pretty meaningful, impactful. So the guys should be really proud of that.”

Tampa Bay's strong start is buoyed by a league-high 92 runs and stout pitching. The team’s 27 runs allowed is the best through 12 games in the modern era, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

It’s unlikely that the Rays can keep up that pace for the entire year. Bats will go cold and pitchers will get hurt. 

It’s also important to note that the Rays' wins have come over below-.500 teams Detroit, Washington, Oakland and Boston. 

For now, though, Rays fans should enjoy the amazing start.

“I think we're putting everything together,” Tampa Bay's Christian Bethancourt said per MLB.com. “We're trying our best to be the best version of ourselves. We're not being selfish. We're just keeping the line going offensively. Pitching-wise, they're doing an outstanding job, and hopefully we can continue and we can get where we want to be, which is the World Series.”