With the Tampa Bay Rays scoring 16 runs and banging out 17 hits against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night, talk has quieted down somewhat about Tampa Bay’s offense after “The Boston Massacre” 2025 style in which the Rays beat down Boston 16-1.
Yandy Diaz has been the Rays leadoff hitter for most games this season. Diaz, just two seasons removed from leading the American League in hitting, has struggled a bit in the leadoff role this season. The 33-year-old is hitting .227 with three homers and five RBI’s this season.
Jake Mangum, who is tearing the cover off the ball, should be moved to the leadoff role until Chandler Simpson is ready. This would solve a couple of issues. First, it would move Diaz’s bat lower in the lineup, allowing him to come to the plate with runners in scoring position and ultimately drive in more runs. Number two, it would put a hot bat and a guy with some speed at the top of the order. Mangum is hitting .311 with five RBI’s. Also, he is second in the American League in stolen bases with six (he has also not been caught stealing yet).
But there is one question that all Rays fans beg to be answered. How long will it be before we see the fastest man in baseball, Chandler Simpson, in a Tampa Bay Rays uniform?
Chandler Simpson
Right now, the Rays do not have a prototypical lead-off hitter; someone who can consistently get on base and set the table for the rest of the lineup. Simpson could be that missing piece. Chandler Simpson would be a spark for the Rays with his speed at the top of the order. Simpson is hitting .300 at Durham with eight RBI’s and eight stolen bases. That kind of speed at the top of the Rays’ lineup would put added pressure on the defense.
Simpson is not a power hitter, and his defense needs work. He is an infielder because of his weak arm, but this season, he has been playing centerfield to take advantage of his speed despite the limitations of his arm. What he does do is make contact. But with his speed and ability to manufacture runs on the base paths, this would be a good addition to this Rays team.
Tampa Bay took him in the Competitive Balance Round B round of the 2022 draft out of Georgia Tech. Simpson stole 94 bases in 2023, which led all of minor league baseball. Last season, Simpson was able to best that with 104 steals, 30 more than any other player. He also led the minor leagues with a .355 batting average.
His ability to make contact negates the need for a lot of power. He had a whiff rate of below three percent, which only four other players have achieved since the 2015 season. It should not be long until we see Chandler Simpson in a Tampa Bay Rays uniform.