LISTEN: Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo is Not a Believer in Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are out to a 12-0 start this season, which is the best start since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers. They can tie the Brewers' record of 13-0 with a win Thursday over the Boston Red Sox. But despite all the success, Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo of the MLB Network, SiriusXM and ESPN isn't impressed. Here's what he had to say.

The Tampa Bay Rays are just one game away from tying history.

The Rays are currently 12-0 to start the season and with a win on Thursday afternoon against the Boston Red Sox, would tie the major league record for best start to a season, which is 13-0 and was last done by the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers. 

But despite the Rays success in the early going of the season, some people aren't believers, including Chris Russo of the MLB Network, SiriusXM and ESPN. The following comments were made as part of ESPN's "First Take" program.

"Let me throw cold water on it. By the way, they are only the fourth team in baseball to start off 12-0. The last team to do it was the Brewers in '87 and they lost 12 in a row in May and didn't make the playoffs. The Rays have beaten the Tigers, the Nats, the Athletics, who are a Triple-A team, and the Red Sox, who they always beat, 12 in a row in Tampa. I do not take them serious as a world championship team. They'll win 90 games but I put a lot of cold water on this winning streak. The opponents? They aren't beating the Yankees and the Astros."

Russo is right that the opponents haven't been great, but the Rays do lead the world in almost everything. They have hit the most home runs in baseball (30), on-base percentage (.367) and Team ERA (2.17).

The Rays will go for win number 13 on Thursday afternoon against the Red Sox. First pitch is 1:10 p.m. ET and Jeffrey Springs goes for Tampa while Corey Kluber goes for the Red Sox.

Boston enters the matchup at 5-7 and is looking to avoid a sweep. They haven't won a game at Tropicana Field since April 22, 2022. 

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