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MLB power rankings: Undefeated Tampa Bay Rays off to baseball's best start in 20 years

Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY
·4 min read
9

They are making history that spans both recent decades and long gone centuries. And no, it really doesn't matter that the Tampa Bay Rays are doing it against the dregs of the major leagues.

The Rays are off to a 9-0 start, the first club to pull that off since the 2003 Kansas City Royals, and are so thoroughly dominating opponents that they're an easy choice to top USA TODAY Sports' first regular season installment of power rankings.

Tampa Bay has not just steamrolled the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics; the Rays' 24 home runs are the most through nine games since the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals. After outscoring the A's 31-5 in a three-game sweep, they are the only club in the live ball era (and first since the 1884 St. Louis Maroons) to win their first nine games by at least four runs.

Sure, you'll see their three opponents at or near the bottom of these rankings. But for what it's worth, the Tigers, Rays and A's are 0-9 against the Rays and 7-12 against everyone else. The Red Sox get their chance starting Monday at Tropicana Field:

This week's rankings:

Brandon Lowe celebrates his grand slam on Sunday with Wander Franco.
Brandon Lowe celebrates his grand slam on Sunday with Wander Franco.

1. Tampa Bay Rays

  • Wander Franco has four homers, seven extra-base hits and a 1.157 OPS.

2. New York Yankees

  • Anthony Volpe overmatched (4-for-28, 11 strikeouts) at times, but he's catching the ball.

3. Atlanta Braves

  • Matt Olson (11 RBIs in 10 games, 1.175 OPS) looks primed for career year.

4. San Diego Padres

  • Michael Wacha with two wins, 12 strikeouts in first 12 innings as a Padre.

5. Minnesota Twins

  • Christian Vazquez, who happens to win wherever he is, getting on base at .455 clip.

6. Los Angeles Dodgers

  • New nemesis? 3-5 vs. D-backs after going 14-5 a year ago.

7. Houston Astros

  • Luis Garcia (2.00 WHIP) will need to pitch better, and longer.

8. Milwaukee Brewers

  • What a week for rookie Garrett Mitchell: Takes Max Scherzer deep one day, hits walk-off homer the next.

9. Cleveland Guardians

  • Steven Kwan falls out of bed and has a .360 OBP.

10. Seattle Mariners

  • Julio Rodriguez off to a brisk 65-steal pace.

11. New York Mets

  • Tylor Megill has stepped in admirably for Justin Verlander, but now Carlos Carrasco (11.42 ERA) is a problem.

12. Toronto Blue Jays

  • It's early, but they're still more entertaining than effective.

13. Baltimore Orioles

  • Local hero: Adley Rutschman gets six hits, two walks in first 11 Camden Yards plate appearances.

14. Philadelphia Phillies

  • Seranthony Dominguez has allowed 12 baserunners and seven earned runs in four innings pitched.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks

  • Have already played 10 of their 26 games against juggernaut Padres, Dodgers - and are 6-4.

16. St. Louis Cardinals

  • Nothing stranger in this sideways start than Jack Flaherty's 13 walks to seven strikeouts - with a 1.80 ERA.

17. Los Angeles Angels

  • Rookie catcher Logan O'Hoppe's nine RBIs ties Mike Trout for team lead.

18. Boston Red Sox

  • Adam Duvall (four homers, .455 average) keeping them afloat early, but wrist injury a concern.

19. Texas Rangers

  • Rookie center fielder Bubba Thompson with three hits in his first seven at-bats.

20. Chicago Cubs

21. San Francisco Giants

  • Scored 38 runs in four wins (9.5 per game) and nine in five losses (1.8).

22. Pittsburgh Pirates

23. Chicago White Sox

  • Oscar Colas (10-for-33, .343 OBP) has so far lived up to billing.

24. Miami Marlins

  • Sandy Alcantara already with one shutout, a 1.84 ERA and an early grip on another Cy Young season.

25. Detroit Tigers

  • Bullpen has allowed 12 of 20 inherited runners to score.

26. Colorado Rockies

  • Kris Bryant looking healthier in second year in Denver.

27. Kansas City Royals

  • Kris Bubic pitching like an ace so far.

28. Cincinnati Reds

  • Catcher Tyler Stephenson with 11 hits in first 30 at-bats.

29. Oakland Athletics

  • New starter Shintaro Fujinami has given up 13 earned runs in first 6 ⅔ innings.

30. Washington Nationals

  • Stone, not cold: Stone Garrett with seven hits in first 12 at-bats.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Tampa Bay Rays on top with unbeaten start to 2023