There isn’t a team that has exceeded expectations during the 2026 MLB regular season more than the Tampa Bay Rays. With about a quarter of the season now complete, they have solidified their standing as not only one of the best teams in the American League, but all of baseball. Entering play on May 12, they have a record of 27-13 and are two games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East standings. Given how bad the rest of the AL is, with the Cleveland Guardians and Athletics being the only other clubs over the .500 mark, the Rays have given themselves quite a buffer to work with in the standings. While some people remain skeptical of Tampa Bay, it is time to take them seriously . That is because teams that perform on the mound as well as the Rays have during a recent stretch have all been playoff teams, with some of them even winning a World Series.…