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Checking in on the Red Sox AL East Rivals: Week One

By Daniel Fox

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 8: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox shakes hands with Manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees before the 2022 Major League Baseball Opening Day game on April 8, 2022 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 8: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox shakes hands with Manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees before the 2022 Major League Baseball Opening Day game on April 8, 2022 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – APRIL 12: Manuel Margot #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with teammates after hitting an RBI walk-off single in the 10th inning for a 9-8 win over the Oakland Athletics at Tropicana Field on April 12, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – APRIL 12: Manuel Margot #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with teammates after hitting an RBI walk-off single in the 10th inning for a 9-8 win over the Oakland Athletics at Tropicana Field on April 12, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

Red Sox rival: Tampa Bay Rays

Weekly Record: 5-5

Everybody likes to assume that the Rays are always going to be at the top of the AL East, no matter how many players they lose. This offseason has been no different, as despite losing Nelson Cruz, Colin McHugh, Joey Wendle, Austin Meadows, and Michael Wacha and doing little to replace them, the Rays were still expected to win 90 or more games entering the season.

The first week and a half of the season will not determine if the Rays win the division or not, but it did show some of their early flaws, the biggest of which being the starting rotation. Promising youngster Luis Patino has already joined Shane Baz and Tyler Glasnow on the IL, forcing the Rays to turn to the likes of Tommy Romero and Josh Fleming to make early-season starts.

The offense has also not been up to snuff so far. Despite excellent starts from Wander Franco and Ji-Man Choi, the Rays entered play on Sunday 19th in the majors in runs and 20th in home runs. Randy Arozarena (.513 OPS) and Yandy Diaz (.603 OPS) haven’t gotten going, and Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Zunino have combined to go just 3-for-37.

If there’s one thing we know about the Rays, however, it’s that it will take more than one bad week to derail their season. Yet this week exposed some serious issues with the team, and with the injuries piling up, it’s hard to see things getting better anytime soon.

Next. Analysis of the Red Sox/Tigers series. dark

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