This Stat Explains Exactly How Rays Won 98 Games

The Tampa Bay Rays won 98 games this season for a lot of different reasons.

But one stat might explain this team better than anything else.

Tampa Bay went 25-4 in one-run games.

That's a .641 winning percentage and the best record in baseball in those situations. Expand it a little further, and the Rays went 61-35 in games decided by three runs or fewer.

That's pretty ridiculous.

It also might become even more important now that the postseason has arrived. 

That doesn't mean Tampa Bay is automatically going to win every close game in October because they did it throughout the regular season.

Baseball doesn't work like that.

But I do think it's worth looking at why the Rays were so successful in those situations.

It starts with pitching.

Tampa Bay's pitching staff finished the regular season with a 6.9% walk rate, the lowest in baseball.

That's huge in close games. If you aren't giving teams free baserunners, you're forcing them to earn everything. A solo home run stays a solo home run instead of becoming a three-run shot because you walked two guys beforehand. Small things like that become huge reason's your season become sucessful. 

We've also seen Tampa Bay consistently make the plays behind its pitching staff, which becomes even more important when one run could decide the game.

But when it comes to the batting order, the Rays finished with an 18.8% strikeout rate, the lowest in baseball. They put the ball in play, they can run, they can bunt, and they have several different ways to manufacture a run.

Players like Chandler Simpson might be the best example.

But Jonny DeLuca, Victor Mesa Jr. and Cedric Mullins can all put pressure on a defense with their speed while also providing some power.

That's what I like about this team heading into October. And why they are a legit World Series contender this year.

Tampa Bay doesn't have to win one specific way, which mean opposing pitching have nothing to hone in on. 

Maybe Junior Caminero hits a three-run homer and makes everything easy.

Drew Rasmussen could also give the Rays seven scoreless innings like he did when they clinched the division. 

Or maybe it's tied in the eighth, and Tampa Bay has to scratch across one run.

The Rays spent 162 games proving they can survive those situations.

Now we'll find out if that continues when the games matter most begining Saturday.