This story was excerpted from Adam Berry's Rays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
ST. PETERSBURG -- This season was ultimately a letdown for the Rays. They won 86 games, with their lowest winning percentage since 2017. They finished third in the American League East and had their earliest postseason exit ever, going out after two games in the AL Wild Card Series.
But the fact that such a season -- their fourth straight, and eighth in the last 15 years, with playoff baseball -- can be viewed as a disappointment is a testament to where Tampa Bay stands as an organization.
"Our expectations are higher than the season that just concluded here," president of baseball operations Erik Neander said, "and we embrace the questions and the things that follow them."
First, let’s look back on this past season.
Defining moment: The elimination game
Sometimes you must reach way back for the moment that summarized the season. But for the Rays, it all played out in their 1-0, walk-off loss to the Guardians.
Their pitching staff was lights-out. Their defense was solid. Everyone played a part. They even had a key injury disrupt their plans. But their inconsistent lineup just couldn’t do enough to push them over the edge. It was the narrative of their season, enacted over 15 innings (and nearly five hours) that sent them home earlier than they would have liked.
What we learned: Their window isn’t closing
The Rays made two big financial commitments over the last year, extending Wander Franco and Tyler Glasnow, with a sizable salary bump coming in 2024 for Glasnow and later for Franco. They pushed hard for Freddie Freeman. Even as they balance the present and future, trying to reach the postseason every year and believing that will eventually lead to their first World Series championship, the Rays are clearly invested in winning with this core.
"A disappointing ending, largely because of the culture of winning that we’ve established,” Neander said. “We’re going to stay at it, be proud of that winning culture and try and do everything we can and really obsess over what we can do better to win that last game of the year.”
Best development: How the rotation came together, from start to finish
Shane McClanahan looked like an ace from Opening Day to his last start. Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs proved they belong in a big league rotation, with manager Kevin Cash calling their development maybe the brightest spot of the season. Glasnow returned to give the Rays a second ace -- and four dominant starters to build around.
Area for improvement: Left-handed hitting
Having a healthy Brandon Lowe and Franco would have helped. It also wouldn’t have hurt if young players like Josh Lowe, Jonathan Aranda and switch-hitters Taylor Walls and Vidal Bruján did more with the opportunities they were given.
Bottom line: Something’s got to give for a team that hit .214/.288/.342 from the left side of the plate, with a .630 OPS that ranked third-worst in the Majors. Even a league-average performance by left-handed hitters would have significantly boosted their overall offensive output.
On the rise: Isaac Paredes
The 23-year-old’s slash line wasn’t awe-inspiring -- .205/.304/.435 and a 116 wRC+ -- but he tied Randy Arozarena for the team lead with 20 homers and held his own at first, second and third base. The power was a plus in his first year with Tampa Bay after two underwhelming seasons in Detroit, and the Rays believe he’ll continue to improve his all-around game.
Team MVP: McClanahan
Did he fall off a bit in the second half? Sure. Was it enough to keep him from earning this title? Absolutely not.
McClanahan posted a 2.54 ERA with 194 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings over 28 starts, led the team in WAR, deserved his All-Star starting nod and might have been the top AL Cy Young Award candidate if not for the two weeks he missed in September due to a shoulder impingement.