The two longest winning streaks since 2000 were both set by teams with some of the lowest payrolls in the MLB.
Topline
The Tampa Bay Rays made history Thursday with their 13th straight win to start the season, tying an MLB record for the longest winning streak coming out of spring training, despite having the fourth lowest payroll this season and fourth lowest team value in professional baseball.Key Facts
The Rays’ 9-3 home win over the Boston Red Sox Thursday sealed off a four-game sweep over their divisional rival, giving them the best record in the league by a longshot and a four-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East.
The Rays are now tied with the 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1987 Milwaukee Brewers for the longest winning streak to start the season.
The Rays, a 1998 expansion team initially called the Devil Rays, have historically traded away or failed to re-sign star players, usually losing them to teams with bigger payrolls, though in recent years they have managed to stay competitive, reaching the World Series in 2008 and posting a club-best .
