Rays Pitching Help Team Make Warranted Move up MLB Power Rankings

Don't look now, but the Tampa Bay Rays are one of the best teams in baseball.

May 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker (47) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Tropicana Field. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Coming into the 2026 MLB season, the Tampa Bay Rays were flying under the radar as a team no one had very high expectations of; that is no longer the case.

They have been the most pleasantly surprising team on the field. After completing their sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Rays have now won 12 out of 13 games, separating themselves as one of the two best teams in the American League along with the New York Yankees.

Tampa Bay is a half-game behind them in the AL East with a record of 24-12. The Rays also own a sweep over their division rivals already, as this scrappy squad looks like it will be in it for the long haul.

This recent hot streak has finally had people taking notice and recognizing Tampa Bay for how well they have been performing. For the first time this season, they have broken into the top five of the MLB power rankings done over at ESPN.

Rays moving up MLB power rankings with red-hot play

May 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning at Tropicana Field. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Rays were ranked No. 8 last week, but have surpassed the San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds to move into the No. 5 spot. It is a warranted, and in the opinion of some, an overdue move up the rankings.

This current streak is being buoyed by true dominance on the mound. Shane McClanahan looks like his former All-Star self after a tough start to the 2026 campaign, after he missed the last two years because of injury.

He has not allowed a run in three straight starts, helping anchor the staff along with Nick Martinez and Drew Rasmussen. Unfortunately, they are the last three standing from the Opening Day rotation.

Joe Boyle went on the injured list first, and following his excellent start against the San Francisco Giants on May 3, Steven Matz hit the injured list with elbow inflammation. His absence is expected to be brief at least.

Dialed-Up pic.twitter.com/wbe1Whea2b

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 6, 2026

Alas, that is what was originally said about Ryan Pepiot when he battled some inflammation in his hip near the end of spring training. After beginning his rehab, he was abruptly transferred to the 60-day IL and is now out for the season, needing to undergo surgery.

With three starting pitchers sidelined, manager Kevin Cash has gone back to a tried-and-true strategy: openers. Griffin Jax has thrived in the role and is being worked out so that he can start working deeper into games.

He is ramping up his workload, and until he is ready to work more, Jesse Scholtens will continue piggybacking off him. The duo has worked marvelously over their last two outings together.

With the formula to win close games, the Rays don’t look like a team that will be going away any time soon, despite some of their injuries on the mound.