2024 Record: 80-82
President of Baseball Operations: Erik Neander
Manager: Kevin Cash (11th Season)
2024 Recap
The Tampa Bay Rays are looking to rebound and return to the playoffs following a disappointing 2024 season. While injuries hampered Tampa’s chances of going to a sixth consecutive postseason in 2024, the hope is that return of ace pitcher Shane McClanahan will bolster a rotation that uncharacteristically struggled. In a tough AL East, do the Rays have enough to return to the post season?
The Rays make a Move
The Rays made their biggest move of the offseason by signing former Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim to a two-year, $29 million deal. Kim, 29, has been an average hitter with an impressive defensive ability and a quality batter’s eye. A lack of discipline was a major fault for Tampa Bay in 2024, as they struck out 1,485 times in the 2024 season, the fourth most in the American League and the sixth most in the entire MLB.
Throughout his career, Kim has maintained a low chase and strikeout rate. As Kim has grown more adjusted to Major League pitching, he has improved on his ability to draw walks. In 2024, Kim reached a career high in walk-rate, with 12.3% of his plate appearances ending with Kim on base with a walk.
Defensively, Ha-Seong Kim is a major improvement to Jose Caballero, the Rays starting shortstop from 2024. Caballero, while able to make plays defensively, has a much weaker arm. Should Caballero hold his place as a starter on the Rays in 2024, his likely spot would be second base, where he can get away with having one of the weaker arms in the league.
Kim will likely be the stop-gap shortstop until Carson Williams (MLB’s No. 9 Prospect) is promoted, which is expected to occur at some point this upcoming season. The beauty of Kim’s game is his utility, so the Rays won’t need to deal him for Carson Williams to succeed.
The Stadium Question
The biggest question out of the Rays season will be their temporary ballpark, George M. Steinbrenner Field. With Tropicana Field being severely damaged in Hurricane Milton, the Rays are playing their home games outdoors for the first time in the history of the franchise. Regardless of what happens on the field, all eyes will be on the behind-the-scenes distractions.
The deadline on whether or not the Rays will go ahead with building their proposed stadium in St. Petersburg is approaching. Because the deadline happens at the beginning of the season, any answer other than “Yes” will create a media firestorm for the Rays and their players.
Rays Up?
Aside from the media firestorm, the Rays are a team that could seriously make a run in 2024. Shane McClanahan and Ha-Seong Kim are the big pieces, but the Rays have a supporting cast that, at its best, can bring Tampa back to the playoffs. The question becomes, will they play at their best
Despite injuries limiting Brandon Lowe for the past few seasons, the Rays second basemen put together a solid performance in 107 games in 2024. Lowe’s 21 home runs are a testament to his consistency, and while he strikes out almost four times as much as he walks, Lowe is a serviceable piece that could push Tampa back towards the playoffs.
Josh Lowe struggled in his second full season in the major leagues. After having a 20-homer season in 2023, Lowe’s overall offensive production dropped, seeing drop-offs in all of his hitting stats. If Lowe can rebound to his 2023 form, the Rays have a star in the outfield who will make a major difference to their playoff hopes.
Meanwhile, Yandy Diaz showed major signs of regression one year after winning the batting title. While hitting .330 surely was not sustainable, Diaz suffered the same issue as Lowe, a major drop off in every stat. Fewer walks and RBIs limited his impact on the offensive game, and entering his age-33 season, a rebound isn’t the most likely result.
The Rays enter the 2025 season with questions on the field and off the field. Will the team even exist as we currently know it in a year? Regardless, there’s 162 games of baseball to play, and one can simply never count out the Rays. a
