(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
If somebody asks you which MLB team has been the most dominant in the early going, the answer is not so hard if you have been paying attention.
It’s evidently the Tampa Bay Rays.
They lead the majors with a phenomenal 16-3 record and a +83 run differential.
Speaking of run differential, do you want to take a shot and guess who is second in MLB?
No, it’s not the Atlanta Braves, the Milwaukee Brewers, the New York Yankees, or the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It’s the Texas Rangers.
Yes: the Rangers, leaders of the AL West division with a 12-6 record and a three-game cushion over the second-placed Los Angeles Angels, are second in the majors in run differential with +43.
“The 10 best run differentials through three weeks of the MLB season: Tampa Bay: +83; Texas: +43; Chicago Cubs: +39; Milwaukee: +35; Atlanta: +32; Minnesota: +23; New York Yankees: +23; Houston: +19; Los Angeles Dodgers: +19; Pittsburgh: +19,” MLB insider Jeff Passan tweeted.
The 10 best run differentials through three weeks of the MLB season:
Tampa Bay: +83
Texas: +43
Chicago Cubs: +39
Milwaukee: +35
Atlanta: +32
Minnesota: +23
New York Yankees: +23
Houston: +19
Los Angeles Dodgers: +19
Pittsburgh: +19
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 20, 2023
Led by multiple-time World Series winner Bruce Bochy, the players have performed admirably to this point.
Their spending spree in the last two years is yielding big results already.
Marcus Semien leads the team with four homers, Corey Seager had an incredible start of the season before getting hurt, Jacob deGrom has a 3.48 ERA and a minuscule 1.29 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching), and Nate Eovaldi, Jon Gray, and Andrew Heaney have had good games.
Adolis Garcia is struggling with contact but has four round-trippers, and prospect Josh Jung has been as good as advertised and has taken a strong hold on third base.
Texas’ investments were bound to make them good at one point, but they might be here earlier than anticipated.
That’s excellent for baseball.
Let’s see if they can hold this level for a sustained period of time.
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