SEATTLE -- At this point, it really doesn’t matter where Chandler Simpson is placed in the lineup. The production will remain for the Rays speedster.
In a rare move in the Rays' 4-1 win over the Mariners to complete the series sweep and win their sixth straight, Simpson was moved up to the No. 3 spot. Facing Seattle’s Emerson Hancock, who’s been successful with right-on-right matchups, manager Kevin Cash wanted to sandwich two lefties (Simpson and Jonathan Aranda) between righties Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero.
Simpson, who’s already batted in seven spots in the order this season, was nearly perfect. He went 4-for-5 with three singles, a double and a run scored. Three of his hits didn’t escape the infield, but arguably the fastest player in MLB had no issue hustling out those soft grounders.
Oddly enough, he actually considers himself someone who moves slowly.
“I just walk, do everything really slow,” Simpson said Friday. “And then when it's on the field, I just turn it off.”
Indeed, as the Rays' recent recipient of the 2026 Heart and Hustle Award brings constant chaos on the basepaths. He’s second in the AL after getting his 31st swipe during his two-hit performance Saturday.
There’s definitely respect for the 25-year-old’s swiftness on the basepaths. In the fifth inning Sunday, Simpson raced to steal second, but Caminero skied it in the air toward Josh Naylor, forcing Simpson to race back to first. But Naylor let it drop to get the forceout at second. The bigger picture: Get Simpson out of the basepaths.
His second four-hit day this season improved his batting average to .304 to leapfrog Díaz (.298) and trail Houston’s Yordan Alvarez (.325) for the best average in the AL. Since June 19, Simpson has batted .365.