In 2024, the Tampa Bay Rays finally saw consequences for being cheap sons-of-guns.
Not only did their latest cobbled-together budget team fail to make the playoffs, resulting in, for the first time since 2017, a non-competitive Rays team, but the top two teams in baseball were all teams that got to the end thanks to their payrolls. The Dodgers won by spending the most money this year, and thus the Rays lost because they refused to spend enough.
And then a month later a hurricane blew through Tampa and destroyed their stadium, a stadium so cheaply refined due to the reluctance of the team to build a new one until around now. So for 2025, the Rays will have to play home games in the Yankees' minor league park, meaning TWO MLB TEAMS will be playing their home games in minor league stadiums. And at least the A's can sign a high-profile free agent here and there.
And so the Rays are here. Now without Isaac Paredes, and with the potential to try and flip Jeffrey Springs and Pete Fairbanks, with only the preexisting star power of Brandon Lowe, Yandy Diaz and Ryan Pepiot...and with virtually every other team in the division planning on upgrading. The Rays haven't finished in last place since 2016, which, fun fact, is the only time since 2007 that the Rays have even finished in last. They need to hope that small-ball works enough in 2025 to stay out of that 9 year recurrence.
I think the most Rays event of the year was starting the season with literally no designated catcher, due to trading away Christian Bethancourt prior to the season, and going with Ben Rortvedt, who was only traded to Tampa midway through spring training...only for Rortvedt to miraculously develop into a winning starting catcher. Rortvedt never was healthy enough to make much time with either the Twins or Yankees, so getting a full season out of him was a real victory for the Rays. Rortvedt was an average catcher, but he was steady, and the defense was the draw, rather than the .228 average in 112 games.
2025 Prediction: I think Rortvedt is the answer for them going forward back there, though it won't shock me if they get a flashy name backup this year.
Last year, to distract from the fact that the only player in history to ever get an actual mega-contract from the Rays will never be playing another MLB game again, the Rays brought up the backup shortstop prospect, Junior Caminero. He was...fine. This year the Rays got Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario, then traded Rosario, and when there was room...brought Caminero up again. This time, in 43 games, Caminero hit .248 with 18 RBIs and 6 homers, a much more promising season that will hopefully lead to more starting time from the jump.
2025 Prediction: A really nice full season effort, with a 5ish WAR.
At the deadline, despite trading some of their best pieces, the Rays managed some decent enough returns. In exchange for Isaac Paredes, the Rays received Christopher Morel from the Cubs, around the time he was beginning to lose playing time. Morel, a power-bat more than anything, hit .191 in 49 games with the team, with 3 homers and 9 RBIs. Clearly not what the Rays were hoping for.
2025 Prediction: An improvement, but I think Morel's better off as a DH going forward.
In a much better move, at least at the time, the Rays got Dylan Carlson from the Cardinals in exchange for Shawn Armstrong. The Cardinals would eventually cut Armstrong and allow for the Cubs to pick him up for the stretch. Carlson, meanwhile, hit .219 in 37 games, with 14 RBIs and 3 homers. I think he had a strong first week or so with the Rays then evened out. Ultimately, the Rays cut Carlson after the season, making the trade...entirely pointless.
2025 Prediction: Finds a 4th OF gig with somebody decent and has a good year doing that.
Coming Tomorrow- The Red Sox, for a team that didn't make the playoffs, were very good this year, and there are a lot of really big pieces I didn't get to during the season.
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