What to know about the Rays' hot start to the 2026 season

State of play: The Rays have started the season 26-13, the second-best record in the American League, defying middling preseason expectations.

• On Sunday, they finished off a 2-1 series on the road against the Boston Red Sox, following a three-game home sweep of the Blue Jays.
• They're No. 5 in ESPN's latest power rankings and No. 6 in MLB.com's rankings.

Zoom in: Starting pitching is a big reason for Tampa Bay's unexpected early season success.

• Shane McClanahan, coming off two-plus injury-riddled seasons, has been dominant, and the team has gotten strong contributions from offseason additions Nick Martinez and Steven Matz.
• At the plate, third baseman Junior Caminero has a team-leading 11 home runs, and first baseman Jonathan Aranda is among the league leaders in runs batted in.

The intrigue: Another factor in the team's turnaround could be the Rays' return to the Trop, after a season of playing across the bay in George M. Steinbrenner Field, as the Athletic recently explored.

• "I think it's definitely helped. Guys like what they know and normalcy," manager Kevin Cash told the outlet.
• "There's a home-field advantage at the Trop," second baseman Brandon Lowe said. "It's a hard place to hit."

The bottom line: While their new owners haggle with local leaders over a swanky new ballpark, for the Rays (and their fans), there's no place like dome.