Comparing 2023 to 2024 after 24 games played

Things have definitely been... different

The Rays are matching up against the Tigers in the trop for the first time since the opening series of 2023, and while things haven’t started great for Tampa Bay with them already facing an embarrassing 7-1 loss in game one, it may be fun to compare these two seasons up to this point since they’ve been very different to say the least.

To begin, lets look at their records. Through 24 games, the 2023 Rays were an impressive 20-4, including a record setting 13 game winning streak to start the season. They were not only leading the AL East by four and a half games, but had the best record in baseball.

The 2024 group on the other hand, sits even at 12-12, last place in a competitive AL East division.

This great start for the 2023 Rays was largely in part to their red hot offense. As a team, the 2023 Rays led MLB in home runs with 48, while simultaneously leading MLB in batting average at .282 and slugging at .523. The squad had scored more than five runs on 15 occasions, going 15-0 in those games.

As for the 2024 squad, they’ve hit just 19 home runs in that same span, a 39% drop in longballs. They’re batting .242 and slugging .356, also significant drop offs in those categories. They have scored more than five runs just six times, including a 10-7 loss to the Rockies.

As for individual players, the results also show a significant drop off offensively. For the sake of sample size, we’ll only compare players who played at least 20 games in both spans (Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena, Isaac Paredes).

Through 24 games in 2023, we were watching what looked like an unstoppable Arozarena as he was boasting a .412 on base percentage with five home runs and 24 RBI. In 2024 its been a completely oppposite story, with and OBP of .221 with two home runs and six RBI.

Diaz has had a drop off too, going from .408 to .264 OBPs in the two seasons, and dropping from six home runs in 2023 to just one in 2024.

Paredes is the odd one out in this group as he actually has seen an increase from 2023 to 2024 in these spans, going from .301 OBP in 2023 to .355 in 2024.

On the pitching side, the 2023 Rays simultaneously held the MLB lead in ERA at a staggering 2.82. They also gave up the least amount of home runs with just 14.

In 2024, the Rays currently sit with a 4.39 ERA, good for 22nd in MLB. They also rank second in most home runs allowed with 32.

The pitching side may be more excusable, however, as injuries have riddled this rotation. Here are the leader in innings pitched in 2023 as well as their current status.

1. Shane Mclanahan (60 day IL)
2. Jeffery Springs (60 day IL)
3. Zack Eflin (active)
4. Jeffrey Springs (60 day IL)
5. Taj Bradley (15 day IL)

And lest we forget that Tyler Glasnow was traded for Ryan Pepiot, who is boasting a 4.34 ERA and 27 strikeouts through 22 ²⁄₃ innings in his stead. Meanwhile, Glasnow currently boasts a 2.92 ERA with 44 strikeouts through 37 innings in Los Angeles

The rest of the rotation is made up of Aaron Civale, a mid-season acquisition from 2023 with a 3.90 ERA start to the season, Zack Littell, who was in Boston’s Triple-A bullpen at this time last season but has performed like the Rays top starter with a 3.33 ERA, and Tyler Alexander, a waiver claim from Detroit with a 4.79 ERA on the season.

Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

Regardless of the reasoning, it’s evident this is a very different team than we saw at the start of last season.

While there’s hope that the Rays can turn things around with some players returning from injury hopefully sometime in may as well as the potential call up of top prospect Junior Caminero, there’s and old quote that every baseball fan has heard that applies to the 2024 Rays.

“You can’t win a pennant in April, but you sure can lose one.”