Citrus Series
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 Marlins Park. From 1998 to 2011, the games were played at Hard Rock Stadium (as it is currently named), though it has been known by several names in its existence.
| Teams | |
|---|---|
| First meeting | June 22, 1998 Marlins 3, Devil Rays 2 |
| Latest meeting | September 6, 2020 Rays 5, Marlins 4 (10 inn.) |
| Next meeting | TBA |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 123 |
| Most wins | Rays |
| Regular season series | Rays, 66–57 |
| Largest victory | Rays, 15–2 (2009) |
| Longest win streak |
|
| Current win streak | Rays, 1 |
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 does 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
| Season | Season series | at Florida/Miami Marlins TB-MIA |
at Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays MIA-TB |
Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Marlins | 3–1 | 4–8; 1–5 | 3–2(12); 4–6 | Devil Rays' inaugural season |
| 1999 | Marlins | 5–1 | 4–11; 9–8; 2–3 | 10–0; 9–7; 11–6 | |
| 2000 | Tie | 3–3 | 8–3; 5–6; 9–10 | 4–6; 5–1; 6–7 | |
| 2001 | Marlins | 4–2 | 4–7; 0–11; 4–6 | 4–5(11); 3–4; 6–1 | |
| 2002 | Devil Rays | 4–2 | 4–3(14); 0–3; 4–1 | 0–4; 3–2; 5–6(12) | |
| 2003 | Marlins | 3–0 | 1–3(11); 0–2(5); 2–3 | no games | Marlins win World Series |
| 2004 | Devil Rays | 4–2 | 4–2; 6–1; 3–4 | 0–2; 4–6; 11–4 | |
| 2005 | Marlins | 6–0 | 6–7; 3–4; 5–8 | 7–4; 6–2; 1–0 | |
| 2006 | Devil Rays | 4–2 | 8–5; 8–4; 1–3 | 4–5(10); 3–4; 0–3 | |
| 2007 | Marlins | 4–2 | 8–14; 7–2; 9–4 | 8–4; 7–2; 4–3 | |
| 2008 | Rays | 5–1 | 6–4; 15–3; 6–1 | 3–7; 1–4; 9–3 | Devil Rays shorten their name to "Rays" and also win AL Pennant |
| 2009 | Rays | 5–1 | 15–2; 10–3; 4–5(11) | 3–7; 2–3; 2–5 | |
| 2010 | Marlins | 4–2 | 4–7; 9–8(11); 1–4 | 14–9; 5–6; 6–1 | Rays win AL East |
| 2011 | Rays | 4–2 | 3–5; 3–5; 4–0 | 1–5; 4–7; 1–2 | Rays win AL Wild Card |
| 2012 | Rays | 5–1 | 5–1; 13–4; 4–2 | 0–11; 4–3(15) 0–3 | Marlins change name to "Miami Marlins" and Marlins Park opens |
| 2013 | Rays | 4–0 | 3–1; 5–2 | 6–10; 6–7 | Rays win AL Wild Card |
| 2014 | Marlins | 4–0 | 1–3; 0–1 | 5–4; 11–6 | |
| 2015 | Rays | 5–1 | 9–10(10); 2–0; 8–5 | 2–4; 4–6; 1–4 | |
| 2016 | Marlins | 3–1 | 6–7; 4–3 | 4–3; 9–1 | |
| 2017 | Rays | 3–1 | 4–2; 3–1 | 10–6; 1–5 | |
| 2018 | Marlins | 4–2 | 2–3; 9–6(16); 0–3 | 6–5; 3–2; 4–6 | |
| 2019 | Rays | 4–0 | 4–0; 1–0 | 6–8; 2–7 | Rays win AL Wild Card |
| 2020 | Rays | 5–1 | 2–0; 4–0; 12–7 | 4–5; 7–3; 4–5(10) | Rays win AL East; first time both teams qualify for postseason together, Rays win 2nd pennant |
| Overall | Rays | 66–57 | at Florida/Miami Marlins Rays, 33–30 |
at Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays Rays, 33–27 |
|
References
- Marlins History
- Rays History
- Chiang, Anthony (June 19, 2011). "Rays don't view Citrus Series as rivalry". MLB.com. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
- 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.
- "Marlins send Yunel Escobar to Rays". ESPN. Associated Press. December 5, 2012.