PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- There were four lines of Chandler Simpson’s handwriting on the underbrim of his cap, words meant to remind himself of the biggest lesson he learned while working with former Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier early on in Spring Training.
“Every pitch. Every play. Every moment. Be present.”
Simpson wrote that message inside his cap for the first time on Friday afternoon, when he made his Spring Training debut in the Rays’ 6-5 win over the Blue Jays at Charlotte Sports Park. Simpson had been briefly sidelined for precautionary reasons due to left hamstring tightness, but he looked like his speedy self in his return to the field.
Simpson made plenty of positive contributions during his debut season with the Rays last year. He batted .295 and stole 44 bases, tied for the second-most in the Majors despite only playing 109 games. But the 25-year-old knows he has more to offer, specifically in terms of getting on base and adding value in the outfield.
And nobody questions Simpson’s work ethic, nor his desire to be the best version of himself.
“He made such a good impression last year. Chandler takes everything to heart and mind going into the offseason on what he needs to do to become better,” manager Kevin Cash said. “Nice to have him back in. We know what he can do offensively for us to ignite and create a lot of havoc for our offense.”
Of course, Simpson can steal bases and put the ball in play with the best of them. But he’ll be even more of a threat if he can find ways to get on base more often, and he provided one example in the third inning on Friday. With one out and nobody on, Simpson dropped a bunt single to the first base side of the infield.
“Look, he can change the game with his speed. Certainly, bunting is part of it,” Cash said. “You can be playing in, and if he puts the bunt down, it's tough to defend.”
Simpson has been working on his bunting daily during Spring Training, dropping 40 per day: 10 one-handed with his left hand, 10 one-handed with his right hand, 10 for a hit to third base and 10 for a hit to first base.
“Definitely a tool that I really need in my toolbox. Not only to get hits, but move guys over, just contribute to the team, get some more wins,” Simpson said afterward. “Definitely been working on that. Going to use it a lot.
“Whenever sometimes it might not be going well, just being able to have that tool and being able to lay it down and cause havoc that way, it can even get me back on track hitting-wise. So just using that and, with the hitting, [when] they're both clicking, then it's a dual threat.”
Simpson has lofty goals for himself, but the most important one is becoming a player who can contribute in every way -- at the plate, on the bases and in the field. Defensively, he showed his commitment to improving by spending a week with Kiermaier, who was in camp as a hired consultant working with Tampa Bay’s outfielders.
They worked on a lot of technical stuff, from throwing programs to plays at the wall. But the most important lesson was right there on Simpson’s hat.
“Just being locked in on every pitch. Just caring, honestly,” Simpson said. “Not being lackadaisical, expecting the ball, being attentive, just making sure I'm moving on every pitch, expecting every ball to be hit to me. When that's in place, then everything with the routes and jumps and everything will follow.”
Game notes
• Right-hander Ryan Pepiot pitched two innings in his first start of the spring and, oddly, his first outing as a Ray at Charlotte Sports Park. Pepiot breezed through a 10-pitch first inning before walking two batters and giving up an RBI single in the second. Pepiot recovered by retiring the final three batters he faced, though, and was pleased overall with the 32-pitch outing.
“First game out there, I was just happy to come away healthy from it,” Pepiot said.
• Center fielder Cedric Mullins drove in one run with a first-inning sacrifice fly and then launched his first home run of the spring in the third inning, golfing a 1-2 curveball from Braydon Fisher a Statcast-projected 367 feet out to right field.
• Third baseman Junior Caminero and reliever Garrett Cleavinger made their last appearances before joining their respective clubs for the World Baseball Classic. Caminero went 1-for-2 with a two-run single, and Cleavinger pitched a perfect sixth on 13 pitches.
• Prospects Tre' Morgan and Homer Bush Jr. received their Minor League Gold Glove Awards during a pregame presentation.