TAMPA -- The Rays are in a somewhat enviable position in the infield.
They have a franchise cornerstone at third base in Junior Caminero, one of the most accomplished sluggers in team history at second base in Brandon Lowe, a remarkably steady presence at first base/designated hitter in Yandy Díaz and a breakout star alongside him in Jonathan Aranda.
Sure, they have to decide this offseason how to handle shortstop next year. But that’s a relatively straightforward decision compared to Tampa Bay’s outfield quagmire. The group is simultaneously overcrowded with potential contributors and in need of significant improvement coming off an overall disappointing season.
“You look at our kind of outfield production in total, that's something that -- by championship-caliber standards -- we need to find a way to create more, certainly, power and run production out of that group,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander said during his end-of-season press conference.
The Rays don’t need their outfielders to carry their lineup, especially if they keep their infield/DH mix intact, and it’s important to consider the entire roster in that way. But a quick look at this year’s numbers on both sides of the ball will illustrate Neander’s point.
Offensively, Tampa Bay's outfielders hit only 29 home runs, fewest in the Majors. The Rays' .663 OPS was 26th in baseball. The unit hit for the sixth-highest average (.255) and stole a league-leading 116 bases, but they ranked among MLB’s worst in walks and slugging percentage.
Their defensive performance was arguably more concerning. Their outfielders ranked 19th in the Majors in Defensive Runs Saved (minus-6), 20th in Outs Above Average (minus-9) and 26th in Fielding Run Value (minus-12).
Over the last 10 years, it was the lowest DRS total by nine for the Rays' outfield and their lowest OAA figure by eight. Statcast has tracked FRV since 2018, and Tampa Bay's previous low during that stretch was minus-1 in 2023.
Considering their overall offensive output was roughly league average, and the value they often found in putting the ball in play and wreaking havoc on the bases, the Rays probably could have handled that type of hitting from their outfielders. Combine it with that level of defense, though, and it’s a different story.
“It's the offense and the defense that comes together,” Neander said. “We need to make sure the defensive side is there to support those types of offensive contributions.”
Before pondering potential additions, they have to figure out what to do with their returning options.
Jake Mangum and Chandler Simpson are coming off impressive rookie seasons. They’re similar players, built to thrive with contact and speed, with Simpson stealing more bases (44 in 109 games) and Mangum the more polished defender. But Neander said they can co-exist in the same lineup, and he noted that moving from George M. Steinbrenner Field back to Tropicana Field could help both, as their skill sets make them “built for bigger parks.”
Those two combined to start half of Tampa Bay’s games in center field, with Kameron Misner also getting 42 starts, but that wasn’t the plan on Opening Day.
The Rays had cleared center field for Jonny DeLuca, believing he could provide enough offense (especially against left-handed pitchers) while clearing their admittedly high bar for defensive performance in center, but he was limited by injuries to only 20 games.
“Having a lockdown defender in center field is probably as much as our identity that we've had as a team for as long as I've been here,” Neander said. “His greatest strength was to be that type of defender in center field, and not having him, we felt it.
“A healthy Jonny DeLuca will be a huge add to wherever we come out going into camp.”
The Rays have a handful of other options on their roster to evaluate, including Richie Palacios, Trade Deadline pickup Everson Pereira, Misner, Tristan Peters and perhaps No. 7 prospect Tre’ Morgan. But their most interesting decisions will be on the outfielders who flanked DeLuca on Opening Day: Christopher Morel and Josh Lowe.
Morel, the headliner of Tampa Bay’s return for Isaac Paredes last year, hit just .219/.289/.396 with 11 homers and 33 RBIs in 105 games, and he found himself relegated to a part-time role by the end of the season. And Lowe again struggled to recapture his incredible 2023 form, batting just .220/.283/.366 with 11 homers and 18 steals in 108 games. They combined for minus-0.1 Wins Above Replacement.
With both eligible for salary arbitration this offseason, the Rays must decide where they fit moving forward.
“Two people that care tremendously about their craft, their profession and badly want to perform better for their teammates and their fans than what they did this year,” Neander said. “There needs to be improvement. They know that. We know that. Within our outfield mix, we need to determine just how much it's reasonable to expect from each of them and how it all fits together.”