ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Rays have needs to address, and they know that. But the way they see it, their greatest need is for more wins than the 77 they recorded this past season and the 80 they had in 2024.
That’s why much of their activity leading up to the Winter Meetings, and many of their words once in Orlando, was focused less on their 26-man roster and more on building up their foundation of talent.
The Rays signed outfielders Jake Fraley and Cedric Mullins before the Winter Meetings, and they agreed to a two-year deal here with left-hander Steven Matz.
President of baseball operations Erik Neander has occasionally made the comparison to the Rays’ offseason activity in 2022-23. They had a seemingly loaded rotation and an obvious need for a left-handed bat, and they wound up signing starter Zach Eflin. Did it help their lineup? No. Did it make them better? Yes.
“Really, it's the theme of just trying to keep as many doors open to improvement as we can find at this point, and then talent accumulation,” Neander said. “Then, later, it's more of how to make it all fit.”
BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS
• Trade market resolution: The Rays are listening to offers for veteran Brandon Lowe, who is earning plenty of attention for clubs in need of left-handed power or help at second base. The Pirates and the Reds are among the clubs that have checked in on Lowe.
Entering his final year of club control with an $11.5 million salary, Lowe seems like a classic Rays trade candidate -- except they don’t have an obvious backup plan at second base, much less someone who can replace his left-handed presence in the lineup, and they have been reluctant to move him in the past. Their projected payroll is roughly in line with where it’s been, so a deal isn’t viewed as necessary from a financial standpoint, either.
Elsewhere, the Rays still have a glut of outfielders that they could whittle down through trades, although they are willing to carry that group into Spring Training to create more competition in camp.
• Shortstop: This probably won’t be a big splash, like Ha-Seong Kim last offseason, but they have been open about their intention to add another infielder capable of playing shortstop. That player would likely back up Taylor Walls, giving top prospect Carson Williams more time to develop in Triple-A.
• Catcher: The Rays could move forward with their current duo of Hunter Feduccia and Nick Fortes, and they have No. 15 prospect Dominic Keegan in Triple-A behind them. But given their lack of production behind the plate this past season, Neander acknowledged again Tuesday that this is a spot where the Rays will “keep an open mind” about a potential addition.
HE SAID IT
“We've made decisions [to trade] players that are established, that are impactful contributors ... as they get their way closer to free agency. We've made plenty of those decisions, so totally understand the question. But we've also made decisions the last few years to kind of continue to roll forward with these guys. We greatly appreciate them, and [would be] more than happy to ride into next year and see what this team can do.” -- Neander, on Lowe and Yandy Díaz
DRAFT LOTTERY
After a tough break last year, the Rays were one of the big winners of the MLB Draft Lottery. With the 10th-worst record and seventh-best lottery odds, they landed the No. 2 overall pick in next year’s Draft -- thanks in part, perhaps, to a little Brett Phillips magic.
RULE 5 DRAFT
The Rays couldn’t make a pick in the Rule 5 Draft because their 40-man roster was full even before the pending addition of Matz, which will require them to clear a spot.
In the Major League phase, they lost right-hander Alexander Alberto to the White Sox. Alberto, 24, is a 6-foot-8 reliever with a cutter that can touch triple digits. This year, he recorded a 2.59 ERA with 64 strikeouts and 21 walks in 48 2/3 innings for Single-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green. His stuff is electric, but his lack of upper-level experience could make it tough for him to stick on Chicago’s roster.
MORE FROM THIS WEEK
• Neander and Cash discussed the Rays’ outfield situation and more. Read more >>
• Pending a physical, the Rays are set to sign Matz, a versatile arm who is hoping to start. Read more >>
• CEO Ken Babby spoke about the club’s search for a new ballpark and returning to Tropicana Field next season. Read more >>
• Junior Caminero will play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Read more >>
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Rays will finalize their deal with Matz in the coming days, then they could be busy on the trade front, evaluating and considering the conversations they had this week. But the overall theme will remain the same, as they look for ways to be competitive in a loaded American League East before worrying about their Opening Day roster.
“We need to get better, and we need to keep as many options on the board, so to speak, that can help us improve,” Neander said. “If, in early December, we are singularly focused on things that fit us this very moment, as if Opening Day is tomorrow, we're going to cut ourselves off.
“You want to be careful not to restrict too many possible pathways to improvement in early December. Opening Day is not tomorrow. Opening Day is [at] the end of March. And so I think for us, kind of looking at it as, like, let's keep open as many doors as we can that have the potential to improve our club, and then as we continue to sort through the roster, each passing day you become more mindful of the functionality of a roster.”