The Rays are off on a historic start to the 2023 Major League Baseball season, and they are set to make more history Wednesday.
Tampa Bay is 11-0 heading into their matchup against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. It has a run differential of plus-63. The Milwaukee Brewers are second in the category at plus-28.
Following the Rays’ win over the Red Sox on Monday, they had the best run differential through 10 games since 1884, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
Tampa Bay will start Taj Bradley opposite Chris Sale on Wednesday. It will be the second time since 1900 a team on a 10-game win streak will start a pitcher making his debut, according to ESPN Stats and Info. The Atlanta Braves did it in their final game of the 1969 regular season. Mike McQueen, who was 19 years old at the time, lost.
Bradley is the Rays’ top prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old has a 5.14 ERA in two starts with Triple-A Durham this season. The right-hander also has eight strikeouts and a 1.29 WHIP.
First pitch for Red Sox-Rays is scheduled at 6:40 p.m. ET, and you can catch full coverage of the game, along with an hour of pregame, on NESN.
