Citrus Series

Last updated
Citrus Series
Teams
First meetingJune 22, 1998
Marlins 3, Devil Rays 2
Latest meetingAugust 30, 2023
Rays 3, Marlins 0
Next meetingJune 4, 2024
Statistics
Meetings total137
Most winsRays
Regular season seriesRays, 78–59 (.569)
Largest victoryRays, 15–2 (2009)
Longest win streak
  • Marlins, 7 (2004–2005)
  • Rays, 9 (2018–2020)
Current win streakRays, 2

The Citrus Series is the name given to the interleague series between the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays in Major League Baseball. The Marlins broke into the league in 1993 as the Florida Marlins, [1] while the Rays had their first season in 1998 as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. [2] The first meeting between the two teams took place on June 22, 1998 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida during the Rays' inaugural season. Beginning with the 2012 season, when the Marlins are the home team games are played at LoanDepot Park, formerly known as Marlins Park until the 2021 season. From 1998 to 2011, the games were played at the currently-named Hard Rock Stadium, though it has been known by several names in its existence.

Contents

Currently, because the Marlins play in the National League, and the Rays in the American League, the only possible postseason matchup the teams can have is in the World Series, though this has never happened. Both teams have had appearances in the Fall Classic, however. The Marlins have won both of their World Series appearances in 1997 and 2003, while the Rays lost both of their appearances in 2008 and 2020.

Former Rays manager Joe Maddon said he did not consider the Citrus Series a true rivalry. "I really don't honestly believe the fans see it as being a rivalry, I really don't. The best way to get that done is to include us in the same league or the same division. That might stir something up." [3] [4]

Weeks after the Marlins concluded a characteristic fire sale that brought in less expensive players such as Yunel Escobar from the Toronto Blue Jays, the Marlins traded Escobar to the Rays for minor leaguer Derek Dietrich. [5]

Currently, the two teams play each other four times each season. During seasons in which the interleague schedule division rotation matches up the teams' two divisions, six games are played between them. Prior to 2013, six games were always played, with the exception of 1998 and 2003.

Series year-by-year results

SeasonSeason seriesat Florida/Miami Marlins
TB-MIA		at Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays
MIA-TB		Notes
1998 Marlins3–14–8; 1–53–2(12); 4–6Devil Rays' inaugural season
1999 Marlins5–14–11; 9–8; 2–310–0; 9–7; 11–6
2000 Tie3–38–3; 5–6; 9–104–6; 5–1; 6–7
2001 Marlins4–24–7; 0–11; 4–64–5(11); 3–4; 6–1
2002 Devil Rays4–24–3(14); 0–3; 4–10–4; 3–2; 5–6(12)
2003 Marlins3–01–3(11); 0–2(5); 2–3no gamesMarlins win 2003 World Series
2004 Devil Rays4–24–2; 6–1; 3–40–2; 4–6; 11–4
2005 Marlins6–06–7; 3–4; 5–87–4; 6–2; 1–0
2006 Devil Rays4–28–5; 8–4; 1–34–5(10); 3–4; 0–3
2007 Marlins4–28–14; 7–2; 9–48–4; 7–2; 4–3
2008 Rays5–16–4; 15–3; 6–13–7; 1–4; 9–3Devil Rays shorten their name to "Rays," win AL East, lose 2008 World Series
2009 Rays5–115–2; 10–3; 4–5(11)3–7; 2–3; 2–5
2010 Marlins4–24–7; 9–8(11); 1–414–9; 5–6; 6–1Rays win AL East
2011 Rays4–23–5; 3–5; 4–01–5; 4–7; 1–2Rays clinch AL Wild Card
2012 Rays5–15–1; 13–4; 4–20–11; 4–3(15) 0–3Marlins change name to "Miami Marlins" and Marlins Park opens
2013 Rays4–03–1; 5–26–10; 6–7Rays clinch AL Wild Card
2014 Marlins4–01–3; 0–15–4; 11–6
2015 Rays5–19–10(10); 2–0; 8–52–4; 4–6; 1–4
2016 Marlins3–16–7; 4–34–3; 9–1
2017 Rays3–14–2; 3–110–6; 1–5
2018 Marlins4–22–3; 9–6(16); 0–36–5; 3–2; 4–6
2019 Rays4–04–0; 1–06–8; 2–7Rays clinch AL Wild Card
2020 Rays5–12–0; 4–0; 12–74–5; 7–3; 4–5(10)First time both teams qualify for postseason together; Rays win AL East, lose 2020 World Series
2021 Rays5–11–0; 6–4; 7–120–8; 3–7; 2–3Rays win AL East
2022 Rays4–07–2; 2–1(10)0–4; 4–5Rays clinch AL Wild Card
2023 Rays3–111–2; 3–0(10)1–4; 7–1Permanent adoption of the four-game series format, with two games in each ballpark every season.
Both teams earn wild card berths but lose their respective Wild Card Games
OverallRays78–59at Florida/Miami Marlins
Rays, 38–32		at Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays
Rays, 40–27

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References

  1. ↑ Marlins History
  2. ↑ Rays History
  3. ↑ Chiang, Anthony (June 19, 2011). "Rays don't view Citrus Series as rivalry". MLB.com. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  4. ↑ Fennelly, Martin (June 19, 2011). "Some rivalry Citrus Series has become". Tampa Tribune . Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Marlins send Yunel Escobar to Rays". ESPN. Associated Press. December 5, 2012.

See also

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