MLB Predictions: Tampa Bay Rays Analysis for the Upcoming 2023 Season

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We are a mere 10 days away from the first round of spring training games, which means that the MLB regular season is not that far away. This is the time of year when hope springs eternal and every team feels as though they have a shot at winning the World Series. Of course, we all know that this is pretty far from the truth, as there are a number of teams that are not going to get anywhere near the postseason, never mind a champ. Besides the big favorites, we also have some teams that fall into the dark horse category. I think it’s safe to say that the Tampa Bay Rays are in that group, but can they deliver the goods in 2023? Let’s take a closer look at the MLB analysis.

Analyzing Teams for Betting and Picks for the 2023 MLB Season

The Rays in 2022

It was, if truth be told, a bit of a nightmare season for the Rays last year. They ended up going 86-76, which left them 3rd in the AL East, 13 games back of the winners. While that was a 14-game drop from their win total the previous year, it was still enough to get them into the Wild Card, where they were swept by the Cleveland Guardians.

To be fair, the Rays were absolutely hammered by injuries last season, so you could argue that they actually did rather well when you take that into account. This is a team that has now been in the postseason for 4 straight seasons, which included a trip to the World Series in 2020, so they are likely to be in the hunt again this year, but how close will they get to another deep playoff run?

The Rays in 2023

The front office seems to believe that they have a core group of players that can lead this team to the promised land, as they did very little in the offseason. Some may consider that a bit of a risk, but it could be a gamble that pays off if this group can stay healthy. Surely, they can’t have another injury-plagued season like last year, can they?

The strength of this team is their pitching staff. They were 3rd best in the AL in runs allowed last season, coming in behind the Yankees and Astros. There is every reason to believe that we will see more of the same this season, which brings us to the Achilles heel of the Rays. In terms of offense, Tampa was middle of the pack, but well off the pace set by the Yankees and Blue Jays, both of whom finished ahead of them in the East in 2022. I’m sure Rays fans would have loved to have seen their team go out and get a slugger this past offseason, but that did not happen.

Prediction for 2023

If the Rays can stay healthy, they can remain in the conversation for the AL East. Their issue is going to be offense again, though, so I think they are destined for a similar season as last year, which means finishing 3rd in the division and hoping to do enough to nab a Wild Card spot.