With many questions surrounding the Tampa Bay Rays’ offseason moves and choices along with several rivals in the AL East making moves, one question circling around is how Tampa Bay, after winning the AL pennant last year, can compete this year in the AL East?
Offseason for Rays
The Rays have made several moves this offseason but none bigger than trading former Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to the San Diego Padres and declining Charlie Morton’s option for the upcoming year. But Tampa Bay also brought back former All-Star and former Rays pitcher Chris Archer on a one-year deal. In contrast to other AL East teams, the Rays’ offseason was a quiet one and one that has not made them the projected division winners according to many. According to MLB.com, Tampa Bay has an 11% chance of winning the division behind the powerhouse Yankees. New York resigned DJ LeMahieu, exercised their option on Zack Britton, signed Corey Kluber, and traded for Jameson Taillon, nearly all former All-Stars. The Toronto Blue Jays also made many moves to become playoff contenders, signing George Springer, Marcus Semien, and Kirby Yates.
How Can They Compete
This year, Tampa Bay will live and die by how well their pitching does as they lost two of their best in the offseason and a third (Yonny Chirinos) to Tommy John Surgery. In this past offseason, the Rays have tried to patch up the holes. They’ve done this by signing the likes of Chris Archer and Michael Wacha, but the key will be in their depth.
On the Horizon for Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay has a plethora of pitching prospects, the likes of Shane Baz, Brent Honeywell, Luis Patino (who was part of the offseason Snell trade), and more, who could all fit into the plans of the Rays at some point. On paper, with the likes of Tyler Glasnow leading the rotation and Nick Anderson leading the bullpen, the Rays are set depth-wise and player-wise in the pitching department, but there are some unproven commodities that have yet to be seen in a Rays uniform.
Projected Lineup
- Austin Meadows– RF
- Brandon Lowe– 2B
- Randy Arozarena– LF
- Ji-Man Choi– 1B
- Yoshi Tsutsugo– DH
- Joey Wendle– 3B
- Willy Adames– SS
- Kevin Kiermaier– CF
- Mike Zunino– C
Bench– Manuel Margot, Yandy Diaz, Mike Brosseau, and others.
Projected Pitching Rotation
Bullpen– Nick Anderson, Hunter Strickland, Trevor Richards, Diego Castillo, Pete Fairbanks, and others.