Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Rays

 

I don't know how evident it is from how I write about them, but I really, really dislike the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays are the most blatant case in favor of instituting a salary floor, because they have no incentive to pay their players [save for domestic abusers], and will sooner trade a piece that is working in exchange for movable pieces than actually put money into the team. Lots of other teams do this, but even the A's, Pirates and Twins will give out contracts. The Rays only have one remaining member from the 2020 team, Yandy Diaz. They had three going into the offseason, but they cut one and traded the other for scraps. Then they traded another guy who was just getting the hang of things to a divisional competitor. When Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero and Ryan Pepiot ask for more money they'll be traded too. It's genuinely insufferable. And add to that the unwillingness to play anywhere other than the still-decaying Trop, the fact that four of their pitchers boycotted pride month a couple years back [none of them are still on the team but I'll never forget], and their inexplicable desire to compete this past year despite having little to no shot. This team is everything I dislike about modern baseball, and I shudder to think that the upcoming bargaining agreement will settle favoring con-jobs like the Rays' ownership even more. 

I mention this because I only have three Rays players for Uncustomed Heroes this year. That's all they deserved. What the hell was I gonna do, make one of some of the 29-year-old rookies they had shuffling around? One of them just got traded anyway! Do a frigging Taylor Walls custom, when Walls can't hit to save his damned life? Validate Christopher Morel, a rare Rays cut I actually agree with? What the hell can you even say about this Rays team? The only positional upgrades they made came from the White Sox! Two of their all-stars were hurt in the second half. The big Shane McClanahan comeback was rushed, leading to yet another injury in camp. This team came in 4th after a surprise smash of a May/June run, because the practical-ball thing only works if you actually put work into making the team great around it, as Toronto can tell you.

Anyhow. Pete Fairbanks had a terrific season as the primary ninth inning option for the Rays. He wasn't flashy, and had 59 Ks in 61 innings, but posted a 2.83 ERA and notched 27 saves. Fairbanks has been a mainstay of the Rays' bullpen for years, and he rewarded them in 2025 with his fullest and most dominant closing season yet. So the Rays rewarded him by cutting him. I'm not sure who's closing games in Tampa next year. Honestly I don't think they care.

2026 Prediction: Y'know, for some reason a lot of teams seem to want to sign Fairbanks. Almost as if it was a bad idea to cut him. Anyhow, a contender picks him up and he gets them to the playoffs. 30 saves, easy.

Adrian Houser was traded by the Chicago White Sox, who revitalized his career, to the Rays, who had already calmed down and had sold a few pieces at the deadline. No one is quite sure why they did this, but they went and did it anyway. His 10 games in Tampa weren't as good as his White Sox run, with a 4.29 ERA, 45 Ks and a 1.349 WHIP. Average, much like how he was a year or so prior.

2026 Prediction: The Giants is actually a really good place for Houser, because he can come in as a depth option, maybe take the 5 spot, and then work his way up if the middle guys get hurt. I say he nabs 10+ wins and starts 25 games.

And then you have the Rays' umpteenth ultra-mega top prospect, shortstop Carson Williams. Pretty convenient to have another top prospect shortstop after the other one robbed you blind last time. This one seems to be alright though. He's 22, and unlike Franco he's not an immediate MLB hit, as in 32 games he hit .172 with 5 homers and 12 RBIs. So he's got some power aspects down, but he's still figuring out major league pitching and was mostly ensuring Taylor Walls didn't have to hit.

2026 Prediction: Here's your Rookie of the Year, folks. Catch him while he's still playing in Tampa.

Coming Tomorrow- How weird it is that I'll have far less pithy, aggravated things to say about the gosh-darned Boston Red Sox???