Why the Tampa Bay Rays SHOULD NOT PURSUE Mike Yastrzemski

Why the Tampa Bay Rays SHOULD NOT PURSUE Mike Yastrzemski

Despite some well publicized speculation, the Rays do not need another left-handed outfielder. You are Locked on Rays, your daily Tampa Bay Rays podcast, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. Welcome into the locked race podcast. Lockdown Rays is part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, now the number one sports podcast network, your team every day. And we are Kevin and Ulissiz and we are lifelong Rays fans who have been podcasting about the Tampa Bay Rays since 2019. Later on today’s show, we’ll take a look at a future Rays lineup that has some surprises. In a few minutes, other teams in the AL East are making major moves. But to start, there’s a free agent outfielder that some believe could be a fit for the Rays. And we’re going to talk about all of that thanks to Fan Duel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app today. Kevin, it does not it does not make sense for the Rays to sign Mike Estreky. If you’re the race this off season, you have oh, I don’t know, a lot of lefty outfielders already. Let’s count them up. Jake Freilley, Josh Low, Chandler Simpson, Rachie Palasio, Tristan Peters, and now there’s rumors that the race could go after Micsty. Kevin, I feel like although Yas, first of all, it would be kind of cool to have him uh just because of the name uh and everything that goes with baseball lore, uh it’s not what the Rays need. It’s a little bit too expensive for what maybe he could provide and it just is not a a good fit right now. So, what what makes you think that maybe there are some people out there saying that Yaz could be a target for the race this off season? Well, yeah, there was an article from MLB.com’s Mark Feinstein and basically he targeted uh a player or a free agent for each team and he selected Mike Ystreky uh for the following reasons. Quote, “The Rays need outfield help.” Yes, we know that. After posting a cumulative 663 OPS among the three spots, ranking 13th in the American League, Ystreky has been a consistent two to3 war player throughout his career and has averaged 18 home runs and a 741 OPS and 135 games per season since the start of 2021. So yes, I would love that. That would be great to insert into the outfield. But like you mentioned, Ulisses, we already have a glut of lefty hitting outfielders. Now, maybe there’s something we don’t know at this juncture that okay, the Rays are going to trade Tristan Peters and get rid of Richie Palasios or something else to add Mike Estreky, but that’s usually not how the Rays operate. Plus, the fact that he’s projected to land roughly a one-year 11 million deal. And maybe if Kyle Tucker gets swept up and another guy or two gets swept up, maybe Ystreky can, you know, be a little bit more uh wanting and saying, “No, give me a two-year deal. Give me a two-year deal with an option.” Something like that. So I I don’t disagree that Mike Gstreky would be productive and even at 35 years old, he could still be a two to three war player and give you 15 to 18 homers and just be, you know, a solid all-around ad. But I feel like the Rays kind of got their Mike Ystreky light, their poor man’s Mike Ystreky with Jake Freillley, their platoon hitting left-handed outfielder. Because if you look at the uh the the splits of Mike Estreky, at least this past season, it was pretty ugly against lefties. So really, if you were to sign if you’re the Rays and you were to sign Nestreky, you would probably only be rolling him out against right-handed pitchers, which right-handed pitchers make up about 70% of the league, which is great. But I feel like they kind of already addressed that with Jake Freilley. And and I’ll go on record and say this, Drake Jake Freilley, if he stays healthy and at his potential, he I think he does have the capability to put up similar numbers to Mike Gstreky, which assuming things go well, which on list four times, h it has been 18 home runs, a 741 OPS in 135 games per season since the start of 2021. So, what you’re saying I think could be qualified as a hot take, Mr. Kevin Weise, on December 2nd. Uh, I want to hear you guys below on the chat if you think that that is a hot take indeed. But, uh, it does feel like Freley is the diet cola version. Yes, you know, it’s like, you know, no calories uh, but almost the same amount of same value of taste. I don’t disagree that Yas would be a consistent value added guy, but from what the Topkin article told us two days ago with the whole, hey, maybe they only have $7 million and they want rotation help. I think this would be a luxury for maybe not the Dodgers because their luxury is like Michael Conforto for like $20 million, but like it’s from like a mid-tier team that goes like, “Hey, yeah, we have $11 million that we can spend for a for a platoon guy.” Like that’s not the raise. Unfortunately, if the Rays were to get Yaz for $11 million, you know, he they want him for 400 500 played appearances at the at the at the minimum. So, I just think I don’t think it’s a fit. I think it would be great uh if if maybe there’s a little bit more options there, but I don’t see it because you can’t get you have Palasios as your new Cawerto, right? You have Luca as your only guy that can handle center field. You have Chandler Simpson and Jake Mangum as your rookie stars, which maybe one could go during the off season because you need to create more power there. And then you have a guy like Josh Low who they still believe in deeply but it’s put up or or shut up season. Where does Yaz fit in? I don’t see this from I don’t get where Mark Feendent is getting this uh without looking at the roster. Like if he’s just looking at the player, sure, but like look at it in the context of things. And I think Mark did not do a little bit more homework than he should have. Yeah. No disrespect to Mark, but I don’t think I think you’re right in the sense that he didn’t look at it that deeply. He said, “Okay, the Rays outfield ranked tier. Here’s a guy that is a mid-tier free agent that you can sign to a one-year deal, not incredibly expensive. Okay, plop him in.” But he didn’t look at the fact that the Rays have x number of outfielders and already added Jake Freley who I might add that in 2023 again a couple years ago but in 2023 with the Cincinnati Reds he hit 15 homers had 65 RBI 21 stolen bases and had a 783 ops among other numbers. So it is possible it can be done. How many plate appearances did he play? Did he have in 2023 he had 380 plate appearances? 101. He did that in 380 PAS. Yeah. you you keep him healthy for over a hundred games, he might put up some decent numbers. Okay, but how can you keep a guy healthy when he’s on turf, Kev? No, that’s that’s true. Now, I I will also say and not deflecting your question, I I really don’t have an answer to that. I guess you you don’t play him every day. Maybe that’s the thing, but uh or you have to DH him every once in a while. I don’t know. But I think Josh Low, that’s that’s the guy that they hope can be like Mike Ystreky. You put up Mike Ystreky numbers over the last couple years. Give give us 17 15 to 18 homers in a 740 OPS. I think today sitting here, you know, maybe not after the 2023 season, but after what we’ve gone through the last couple seasons, we would say I would be satisfied with that as a bounce back for Josh Low to start and then maybe build off of that from there. I think the vast majority of Rays fans, you tell them if Josh Low gives you 18 home runs in a 741 OPS in 135 games, do you sign that right here, right now? And you would get that motion passed. Yes, easily, Kev. Uh, that would be great after what the last two years have been like for race fans watching Josh Low and for Josh Low himself. uh you know performing that way. But speaking of acquisitions, both birds in the division and some socks made some interesting moves. NFL Sundays move fast. One big play and suddenly everything feels different. That’s what makes live betting with FanDuel so exciting. You’re not just watching the game, you’re reacting to it in real time. With FanDuel, you can place bets as the action unfolds. Every drive, every momentum swing, every highlight moment. Live betting is best when the game starts to shift. A receiver gets hot, a defense tightens up, or the momentum flips after a turnover. And FanDuel lets you jump into the moment with live spreads and money lines adjusting instantly. Player props updating as guys heat up, and then you can bet next touchdown scores, drive results, totals, and more. Ultimately, it keeps you locked into every snap, every drive, and frankly, every possibility. So, if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit fan.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. FanDuel, the game moves fast and so can you. Thank you so much for joining us at Locked On Race, part of the Locked On podcast network at your team every day and the number one podcast network in all the land. Guess what people not fun things if you’re race fans because the AL East got tougher because some major offseason moves were done by well almost everybody in the bleeping division. Kevin, were you surprised when you saw the uh news that Dylan C’s signed a 7-year deal with the Blue Jays for $210 million and real money, not monopoly money, real money. And I don’t think that’s deferred like what the Dodgers do. Uh I was not surprised in the least considering they were so close to winning the World Series. It would be nice if the Rays did that after they were so close to winning the World Series in 2008 and 2020. I know they made, you know, smaller moves. They made like uh I guess Mike Ystreky like moves, one year, two-year deals, but Dylan CE is now he becomes the largest free agent signing uh in Blue Jay’s history, surpassing the the major deal that George Springer had five years ago. I guess that’s inflation and tariffs. uh you know going from $150 million being your largest contract 5 years ago to $210 million being your largest contract. So Dylan Case being on the Blue Jays uh probably equates to more strikeouts in the Rays lineup. We know what he can do. Um but the the Blue Jays aren’t the only team on the up and up as far as adding uh players. the Orioles, they’ve uh been very clear about making maneuvers and trying to get out of the seller dweller of the AL East. Um, we know that several weeks ago they acquired Taylor Ward and traded Grayson Rodriguez, but they also just signed uh right-hander Ryan Hley to a two-year contract worth $28 million with the intention of him being the closer uh due to I think uh Felix Batista having some injury issues. So, uh, if Ryan Hley is getting two years, $28 million, I I would think Pete Fairbanks is licking his chop and and getting some money out of that, uh, from another team at some point. And then the Red Sox, uh, they’ve been, uh, they’ve started to get active on the hot stove adding Sunny Gray from the Cardinals. So, what what I see over the last several days is pitching pitching pitching for the Blue Jays, the Orioles, and the Red Sox. and that uh only makes things tougher for a raise middling offense that is young and prone to strikeouts. So, and and the solution for the Rays thus far has been getting Jake Freilley and Ryan Valade. So that doesn’t necessarily bode well for uh the Raids offense putting up numbers offensively in the AL East, which is why that question is at the bottom of your screen if you are watching us on YouTube and you’re hitting that like button and you’re hitting that subscribe button if you haven’t. Come on, it’s free and you help us beat the YouTube algorithm. The question is, are the Rays on paper the worst team in the AL East on December 2nd, 2025? And Kevin, I think it would be very difficult for a race fan to be put on a um what’s the word? The machine. A a polygraph. Thank you. A polygraph. And to be completely clean saying, yeah, nope, they’re not the worst team. That thing would be buzzing up and down. I mean, it would be easier than what Dairo did to Stiller and Parents. Really? Uh, classic reference, by the way. Thank you. I love that. There’s no way you can say that they’re not right, Kev. I mean, the Blue Jays just went to the World Series and they said, “Okay, let’s get more starting pitcher pitching.” Doesn’t matter how you feel about Dylan Sees and his inconsistencies. He’s a he’s a dude. might not be the greatest dude, but he’s a dude. And now they got him. And then the Red Sox, they already have enough hitting. They said, “Let’s go get some pitching.” They got Sonni Gray, who by the way was a runner runner up in the Sai Young conversation a couple years back with with the Twins. He had Yeah, I think he he’s kind of underrated as far as I I don’t think he gets as much credit or respect as he probably deserves. And like Dylan CE, I mean, I think CE is probably more of a a strikeout king than Sunny Gray, but Sunonny Gray gets quite a few strikeouts, too. So, yeah. And so, the the Red Sox, who always have hitting, they go get some pitching. The Jays just got to the World Series, they get some pitching. And then the Orioles, who were MIA, uh, in 2025, some might say, but also some might say that they were only two games worse in the race. Um, they just got some help. Yeah. wise with Taylor Ward and then also here with Ryan Hley. Now Helsley obviously did not have a great 2025 but you know that there’s talent there that if they can unlock it my goodness and that bullpen now becomes really dangerous stuff and the concern is that I this could just be the start. I mean there could be more moves on the four. We haven’t even talked about the Yankees and I know that they might be dealing with some payroll crunch uh you know in in their respect but you you see oh where’s Kyle Tucker rumored to go where’s Pete Lonzo rumored to go and you hear the Red Sox mentioned you hear the Blue Jays mentioned so these teams could make a lot more moves and I feel like obviously the the Rays can’t compete financially with these teams so they have to be able to do it on the margins and I think they’re just going to have to go back or, you know, I we we got Brandon Hyde, so maybe Brandon Hyde can unlock something with trying to win more games at the margins among uh the other uh front office and and coaching staff as well. But I think it’s really the Rays are just going to have to lean into, you know, trying to boost up their bullpen and and win close games um in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings because that that’s one thing that they have done at this point is while we might not know much about the relievers they’ve added there, they could have something cooking where that’s where they’re trying to get their edge is in the later innings, which we saw how that is incredibly important when you have a lead and then they the bullpen keeps imploding on you like they did in 2025 in that awful awful month where they went 9 and 25. So yeah, there are definitely really encouraging names that you can point at the bullpen even though they might not be wellnown names, but it’s hard to keep a positive mindset when your rivals that you’re going to be playing 13 times are all making moves that on paper are making them better. Hey, look, Dylan Sees, he could be a Mike Hampton. He could be an Anthony Rendone, right? Like you never know. And then might just explode on their face, right? But like on paper that they got better. They got better. Maybe they got maybe they overpaid. That’s a different conversation. But they got better. They needed pitching. They got some pitching. Uh and we don’t we don’t have Wander to help us out offensively. We don’t have Randy to help us out offensively. We don’t have Isach to help us out offensively. I think the the thing that makes this more concerning is the fact that the Rays have had two consecutive losing seasons. I I wouldn’t be concerned in the lightest if, you know, we’re coming off a 90- win season or something. I shouldn’t say I wouldn’t be concerned in the lightest, but I would understand that, hey, the Rays are going to find a way to to pull out a winning season. Maybe not win the division, but you know, no, be more concerned, but but but at least more confident on the Rays. Maybe not belittling the other competition, but like feeling good about what we have right now. you can’t really put your hand in the fire for for that outfield or the shortstop position or the catching position or their starting depth or the bullpen names like and I I named a lot of question marks their calf. You did indeed. So, um yeah, it’s challenging and the fact that the Blue Jays clearly are doing something right right now. The Red Sox are clearly doing something right right now. the Orioles have, you know, made it part of their mo to, hey, we we’re going to spend and we’re going to it’s a year late and a dollar short maybe, but they’re they’re adding names so they don’t they don’t try to finish in last place in the division. And the Rays are are still as of December 2nd, we think that they’re kind of hovering in the mid70 win category, unfortunately. Now, just because you you add a lot of money in the offseason does not mean that that’s necessarily going to translate, but usually it it it can help you out for a little bit. And and organizations are smarter now, too, um for the most part. So, uh that’s something which is maybe why the Rays haven’t been so successful lately in the last couple years because now information is out there. Information is out there. it has now cross-pollinated across the league and that extra 2% that market inefficiencies that you could define you know in08 they’re no longer being able to find everybody’s finding the the Yankees are finding them so if you have the Yankees finding them or the Dodgers finding them with the payroll that they have it makes it incredibly more difficult for the race to even sniff at a winning season and hey we might have to wait till 2029 for the Rays to have a winning season the reason I bring that up is because Baseball America has projected ed the Rays 2029 lineup and there’s definitely some surprises. Thank you for listening to the Locked OnRace podcast and making us your first listen every day. We are part of the Locked On podcast network, the number one sports podcast network in the land. Uh take the Rays 2029 projected lineup according to baseball reference with a grain of salt. Recently, uh, Baseball America, the well-known publication, released their projected lineup and starting pitching rotation. I’m just going to run through the names here. Uh, catcher, they have Nathan Flewelling. First base, Xavier Isaac. Second base, Daniel Pierce. Third base, Junior, Camo. Good to see him still sticking around. Shortstop, Carson Williams. Left field, Chandler Simpson. Center field, Theo Gillan. Right field, Brendan Summerhill. DH Jonathan Aronda. In their starting rotation, they have Brody Hopkins being the ace, Joe Bole being the number two, TJ Nichols being the three, Santiago Suarez being the four, Trevor Harrison being the five, and the closer being Jose Erbina. Uh, Ulyses, what do you make of this 2029 projected lineup according to baseball reference? Uh, it just tells me that we’re boy, we’re in the off season. That’s just what it tells me because uh look these are fun things and we do them here too, you know, just trying to, you know, get some levity and and some content and just something to talk about. This is exactly what this is. This is something to talk about. This is not real. This is not at any point uh you should take this as the truth or you should put even green Skittles on this uh at all because uh it’s it’s just not going to happen. It’s it’s really fake news for for for for a good term. And I will make my point, Kevin, because our research team, people don’t know this, but we have a research team at Locked on Race. Boy, do they work hard for this podcast and we pay them good money, don’t we, Kev? We do. Inter McGee still sticking around doing the research side of things for us. Always appreciate it. Intern McGee is gonna get divorced from all the work that he does for this pod. Uh so we have we found the 2026 lineup that was made by Baseball America that was released in November 2022. Kevin, why don’t you just run through those names? Yes. Uh starting with the lineup, catcher Francisco Mahia, first base Kyle Menardo, second base Wander. That’s a shame. Third base, Isach Perees, shortstop, Carson Williams, left field, Randy Rosarena. Uh center field, Josh Low, right field, Brandon Laauo, and designated hitter Curtis Meade. The pitching staff or the starters and the closer, Shane Mlanahan being the number one, Shane Bos being the two, Drew Rasmus the three, Taj Bradley the four, Mason Montgomery the five, and the closer Luis Patinho. So, like we said, take these uh foreshadowing projections 3 4 years in advance with a grain of salt, mainly because the Rays are such a fluid organization and prone to trades. Now, what I will say about the 2029 projection, I was surprised by the fact that Trey Morgan wasn’t listed, nor was Dominic Keegan listed. Other than that, it’s it’s somewhat understandable. Um I I think it just uh underscores how much Brody Hopkins is respected as a prospect right now because if you look at how they evaluate Brody Hopkins and players we’ve talked to on the show and people we’ve interacted with, they everyone seems to suggest that Brody Hopkins is the real deal. They believe baseball America believes that he is the best pound-for-pound athlete in the organization. Not just pitchers, but that includes shorts stops and centerers and yeah, so that’s one thing that he also has the best fast ball in the organization, best curveball in the organization and the best slider in the organization. So, you add all that up and yeah, it it would seem to to merit that he could be a future ace at some point in time. But again, this is all fun. It’s fodder. It’s the off season, but um it it is kind of, you know, fun and interesting to project and note some of the names uh that that could be in the lineup. But look, this is it is not going to look really anything like this in 2029 would be my guess. So basically they got for the projected 2026 lineup they got uh Josh Low correct and they got and they got Brennan Laauo correct two names because I know that some people are screaming at me that hey Carson Williams he’s not going to be the opening day shortstop unless something happens to Taylor Walls right or they do a trade. Um so so they didn’t get Carson Williams right. They were close sure but that’s not the exercise right. And if we go to the the rotation side Shane Boss they got right. Drew Rasmusen, they got right. Everybody else, no, no, no, not so fast. That ain’t right. So, and I know some people are gonna say, well, what Shane Mlanahan, he’s not quite close, pops, and you he hasn’t even thrown a pitch in the last two years. So, I don’t even think you can even put him on the rotation. So, just take it with a grain of salt. But, I will leave you with this, Kev. Mhm. If we’re playing with those two names in the rotation and two names in the lineup that are going to be correct, who do you think are those two names in the lineup? And who are those two names in the rotation? Uh, I would say Brody Hopkins in the rotation. And I honestly don’t know much about the other three starting pitchers, so I’ll go with Joe Bole. Uh, and then I would say Jonathan Aronda and Junior Kimro. Oh, okay. Yeah. Now, let let me let me add this. I think that Baseball America would be more on the mark with their 2026 lineup had Wander Franco not had that off the- field matter because I feel like that shifted a lot of parts with their roster. Like if Wander Franco is still in the fold, then you might still have ESC. I mean, really, Wander Franco or less blew up the whole situation. You you might still have some of those players, some of those veterans that uh are in that 2026 lineup projection that are no longer there. But like, yeah, but there’s definitely some some major major whiffs and and it kind of goes back to the we can’t get overly concerned with prospect rankings and prospect hugging because Luis Patinho, for all I know, he’s out of baseball or pitching in the independent leagues or, you know, he’s he’s signed a minor league cont like I I can’t remember the last time he’s he’s pitched a he’s meaningfully pitched in the major leagues. So, I just want to throw that out there. But, uh, we saw it come up. We thought it was, uh, worth bringing up uh, at least as a a third segment topic for the 2029 projections. And let’s hope I mean, let let’s pray to God that Nathan Flewelling is the catcher of the future that he becomes something. It’s way too early because I think he’s he was like at single A last year. BT Dubs, this could be could be not will be could be the first lineup at a new stadium 2029. Uh yeah, I mean the Rays better get going. Better get going. Better get going, but could could I’d be more likely to lean towards 2030, but you never know. Uh so we’ll have to wait and see on that one. Uh in the meantime, we hope you all have a wonderful day. Stay safe and we will talk to you later.

Tampa Bay Rays fans face big questions as rivals in the AL East load up for a title push. Are the Rays on the verge of falling to the bottom of the division as the Blue Jays ink Dylan Cease, the Red Sox land Sonny Gray, and the Orioles upgrade their bullpen with Ryan Helsley? Ulises and Kevin debate whether the Rays’ offseason moves—like adding Jake Fraley—are enough to keep pace, and tackle rumors about a possible Mike Yastrzemski signing. Is another left-handed outfielder really what Tampa Bay needs, or would that be a costly misfit?
The hosts break down lineup projections and scrutinize Baseball America’s Rays 2029 predictions, reflecting on what recent roster changes signal for the future. Can Josh Lowe step up with an 18-homer season? Will Tampa Bay’s penny-pinching strategy still work in a smarter, more aggressive AL East? Don’t miss this sharp look at the Rays’ challenges, rivals, and what must change to stay competitive.
0:00 – Rays Outfield & Yastrzemski Rumors
10:27 – AL East Offseason Moves
20:04 – Rays 2029 Lineup Projection

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