Tampa Bay Rays UNVEIL Ryan Vilade Move Amid Outfield CHAOS

Tampa Bay Rays UNVEIL Ryan Vilade Move Amid Outfield CHAOS

The Rays have added an outfielder, but not the name you were expecting. You are Locked on Rays, your daily Tampa Bay Rays podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome into the Locked on Rays podcast. Locked on Rays is part of the Locked On 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, the Rays have a new assistant hitting coach who may be able to make a bit of a difference. In a few minutes, we’ll discuss why the Rays had one of the worst outfield offenses last season. But to start, the Rays have beefed up their outfield competition somewhat. And we’re going to talk about all of that thanks to Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Yes, the off season is here. The hot stove is burning. And boy is it burning as ever because the Rays have signed an outfielder. Kevin, a name that you might not even know how to pronounce, but you look it up on baseball reference and it says Ryan Vade has been signed by the Rays who by the way doesn’t move the needle, but he does bring some interesting minor league numbers that hopefully injects a little bit of competition to the outfield. Yeah. So Valade is a guy who I think both of us can be honest and transparent had never heard of before. Uh not to say he can’t become something one day, but it is one of those throw crap to the wall and hope it sticks. I mean it is an encouraging sign that he put up uh very solid and impressive numbers in AAA this past season. Uh but again, he’s 27 years old playing AAA ball. So I would expect him to have some modicum of success at that level. But um just based on his offensive profile, we see some pop. We see some extra base hits. We see batting average. We see a good strikeout rate. We see some stolen bases in there. So, at the very least, maybe this puts some of the current outfielders on notice of there is a new guy in town and I need to try to be the best I can be. And you know, it there have been occasions where guys that you’ve never heard of that get picked up for cash considerations wind up being something. More often than not, that doesn’t happen. But clearly, you know, there’s something about his game and his profile that the Rays like and they went out into the maneuver of bringing him into the organization. So, really time will tell uh into spring training and maybe into the regular season on, you know, how much if any action uh he’ll get with the big league club. You know, if I had to guess, if I’m being as honest as possible, I think it’s, you know, cup of coffee here like Austin Chinton, like Kevin Padlo, but you never know with some of these guys. You never know. Uh I think right now they saw an opportunity for cash considerations on a guy that by the way in AAA has slashed 275, 356, 421. That’s a 776 OPS. So solid numbers all around. We always say that if you have solid numbers in AAA, that doesn’t really give you a lot of confidence because you’re going to see a dent in that production when you go to MLB. So, if you’re already putting numbers like a 770 ops in in in um in the miners in AAA, then you’re probably going to see a dent of 30 50 points in your OPS. So then that already starts to hang around the 700 line, 710 line, which you know, right now I I think we would all be okay with, but that’s not really what would help the outfield. But what it does do, Kevin, is bring fresh new blood, a guy that wants it. He’s 27. This could be his last big opportunity. He’s going to be coming in hot in spring training. Hopefully that does kind of create some competition there in the outfield. and um that that can be good for the for the team. But I’m with you. It’s not the signing that we were hoping for or at least the trade we were looking for because obviously they they acquired him by trade from the Reds, but it does something as in it keeps the move the the ball moving in the offseason. We we have something to talk about to chew on for a little bit and it makes you hope that if this is the first thing they do, I I I like that because it it means that they’re aware of it of what the outfield is. They’re they’re being somewhat aggressive and they’re still a lot of offseason to go. So don’t, you know, take out the idea that, you know, maybe they make a free agent signing here or there. It’s not going to be who you want it to be necessarily. It’s not going to be Kyle Tucker or Drake Gisham or uh Cody Bellinger. But, you know, there is also the the aspect of trades as well. If anything, like you know, Josh Low doesn’t have to worry about Ryan Valade, but maybe Cameron Meisner does, maybe some maybe Chris Morurell does. And at the very least, maybe that, you know, forces some of these guys to to level up their game to some extent. But then again, he he could just be a, you know, a Tristan Gray type or Ribbon Cardinis type. You know, we if I had a if I had a dollar for every time that uh you know, we we got a guy like this that we oo and awe at their recent numbers or something in their their profile in the minor leagues that winds up doing next to nothing in the major leagues. You know, I might have uh 20 or 30 bucks at at this point in time. But again, give him a shot. Give him a chance. See what he can do. Maybe there is something that you know the Rays saw in terms of his approach that hey I if you untap this or do more of this do less of that you can establish yourself as somebody and there’s there’s many of there there’s many guys that are late bloomers that wind up having a a solid major league career. Your buddy Jose Batista, you know, he’s an example. Jake Croninworth, he’s an example. So, uh, all we can do is wait and see to see if Ryan Vad will be something. And you won’t have Yeah. And you won’t have to wait so long because we’re also going to be talking about the team’s offensive struggles from the outfield. NFL season is back and honestly there’s nothing better than being in the stadium surrounded by fans cheering on your team. But let’s be honest, getting tickets can always be a hassle between cues login screens. It’s always a mess. And that’s why I use Game Time, the app that gives the advantage back to fans. In fact, I was in Fort Lauderdale a couple weeks back. I wanted to see a soccer game. Guess what I did? I used Game Time because you’ll always get 100% authentic tickets. So today, download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, that’s promo code L K D O N MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Swipe, tap, ticket, go. Download Game Time today. Thank you so much for listening to Locked On, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Yeah, I know. Uh Kevin’s dogs are very excited about Ryan Valade. Yes, they went out and got a Ryan Valade jersey and jersey. Uh they’re they’re actually viewing highlights of him now on repeat and they’re marking up a storm with the uh enthusiasm here. They can’t believe it. They’re like for only cash considerations we got Ryan Valade. That’s crazy. Um we didn’t have to give up Junior Camero to get up to get Ryan Valade. I know they’re excited. But guess what? We should also be excited that there are new um names popping up in the outfield because the outfield offense must be addressed in 2026. Kev, the the Tampa Bay Rays were l ranked 26th in OPS in the outfield, 27th in RBI’s, and dead last in home runs with 29. Yeah. So, it goes to show you why the Rays made a move, an initial move at least in Ryan Valade, hoping that, you know, maybe he can work out or supplement somebody else. But it it’s one of the many questions that or topics that I presume we will get to throughout the course of the offseason. One is the starting pitching depth. Another is the catching position. Also on the list, among other things, is the outfield offense for the lack of pop from the offense in general. Because if we are going to give them a semblance of credit, the outfield crew, they did hit for average. Uh they had the sixth highest batting average in the majors this past season at 255 from outfielders as a whole. And they ran well, which that’s understandable with Jake Mangum and Chandler Simpson. But kind of like our buddy Evan Klosski alluded to is you have Jake Mangum, you have Chandler Simpson who in their own right are major league players and bring a different dynamic to the game. But who is going to be the power force for that third, fourth, fifth outfield spot because it’s not going to be Jake Mangum. It’s not going to be Chandler Simpson. And that’s where you go back to Chris Morurell needs to live up to his potential and probably most importantly Josh Low needs to live up to his potential. I mean, a lot of this can be solved by one or more of those guys carrying their weight and being what we expected them to do because we’re not going to expect Chandler Simpson to knock out 15 home runs. We’re probably not going to expect Jake Bangum to knock out 15 home runs. But Josh Low and Chris Morell, they should be able to do that in more so and be able to stay healthy and not go through extended slumps and not have a crazy amount a crazy amount of strikeouts to their name. So yeah, that’s really going to be the question for the Rays is, okay, you went out and got Ryan Valade, which is great. It is what it is. But ultimately, if we’re looking at it 30,000 foot view, is Ryan Valade single-handedly alone going to change the complexion of the outfield offense and their rankings from 2025 to 2026? I’ll answer that with a a stat. I I’m seeing eight seasons in the minor, 71 home runs. So, no. The answer is no. Um I back to the trop and not Stein Burner Field. So, exactly. I I will say though I will say though that the the lack of pop and I think you’re very astute in in in saying this because there’s this feeling I’m getting from race fans that it’s the the problem from for our lack of power is Mangum and Simpson. And I I think that’s misguided. I I feel like I want Simpson to be Chandler Simpson. I want Jake Mangum to be Jake Mangum. The fact that they are not power hitters, that does not upset me in the least. I like what they do. I hope they can get better, but their tools are unique in 2025, 2026, and I want to exploit those unique set of skills. Now, I think the the the onus of the power of the lack of power actually is like you said is on Christopher Morurell and Josh Low. That’s who really is should should be, you know, the the the brunt of this blame should be laid up on those two guys. Hey, you’re the ones that have the power. Christopher Morell showed 25 home run power in in Chicago. Where’s that in Tampa? Because it wasn’t there. And Josh Low, dude, you’ve been hurt and lack of producing very little for the last two years. Where is that 2023 type of Josh Low or that you know measure? Where’s it Josh Low from the miners too? Who was killing it uh with the race too? So the ownish of the lack of power I think sometimes gets directed towards Chandler Simpson and Jake Mangum just because of who they are as baseball players. But I I think that’s I think that’s wrong. The the the blame is honestly on Morell and and Josh Low. Well, talk about a late bloomer. Uh that would be uh one Jake Mangum. And he was very impressive in his rookie season as was Chandler Simpson. Now, if we want to go out and make an argument that they’re two alike in their skill sets, okay, I’m fine with that. And if you want to trade one of them, go for it. But you better be sure that whoever fills out the rest of that outfield can be as valuable or more valuable than Jake Mangum or Chandler Simpson, which by the way, if the Rays were to trade one of those two guys, it would 99.99% be Jake Mangum. I don’t know how you how you trade Chandler Simpson based on what uh he he showed uh there. And and then the other thing too, I mean, you know, yes, the the Rays had injuries in the outfield, Johnny Duca and Richie Palasios, but are we really going to expect a ton of power from either of those guys? I mean, they might surprise us in a in some shape or form and give you 10 to 12. But you especially together maybe together. But um yeah, it’s really on you and Chris Morel. It’s it’s that it’s those two guys because Palasio and Ducha are not those types of players either. And maybe that’s an issue that the Rays are now finding themselves in is that maybe we we targeted these players that kind of have the same dynamic uh skill set, but they don’t have much pop. and and we saw it in the numbers and you were hoping that maybe Josh and Christopher were were able to kind of buoy the the offensive power numbers in in the outfield, but it was not to be. At least not in 2025. No, it wasn’t. And again, just to reiterate, we are not getting Kyle Tucker. We are not getting Cody Melager. We are not getting uh Trent Gisham. Maybe we go out and make a trade or two, but hey, still long off season. I have hope that the Rays will be able to shore it up. If Kevin I if this if Kevin is wrong and and and the Rays do sign Kyle Tucker, uh Kevin Weiss will be having a full beard uh on this show just like I have shaved mine just the opposite. Uh yeah, to add to that, you will have to keep your beard shaved uh and I will grow out a beard. There you go. Raise sign. Um so there we go. Yeah. Uh all right, moving on. And to end the program, perhaps the Ray’s new assistant hitting coach can inject some life and enthusiasm, not just in the outfield, but the offense as a whole. This episode is brought to you by Price Pix. You and I make decisions every day, but on Price Picks, being right can get you paid. Don’t miss any of the excitement of this sports season. Whether you’re following the NFL, NBA, or both, there’s no better time to jump in on the action. Because if you haven’t tried it yet, prize picks is the simplest way to play. You just pick more or less on at least two player stats. And if you get them right, guess what? Green Skittles go your way. You win. It takes less than 60 seconds to make your lineup. And you can play anywhere Price Pix operates. So download the Price Pix app today. Use code locked on MLB to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $ five dollar lineup. That’s code locked on MLB for $50 in lineups after your first $5 lineup price. It’s good to be right. Thank you for listening to the Locked on Rays podcast and making us your very first listen every day. We appreciate it. We are of course part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Azie Timonss should be a great fit as the Rays new assistant hitting coach. Maybe the worstkept secret out there uh since the Rays decided and opted to let go of Brady North as the assistant hitting coach. Azie Timonss will fill that void working under Chad Matah who I think I’m correct in saying this. He is now the longest tenure hitting coach in the bigs. Chad Matah who would have had that on their bingo card. But Azie Timonss and who knows maybe depending on how it all shakes out maybe he’ll be the the head honcho hitting coach uh down the line. I guess it all depends on what the Rays offensive numbers are in 2026 and beyond. But I think Aussie Timonss in general, wherever you place him, whatever his role with the organization is, be it assistant hitting coach, first base coach, outfield coordinator, binge coach, whatever role you you put him in, I think he’s the type of guy that can thrive based on his experience, his long tenure of experience with the Tampa Bay Rays in the fact that, you know, we’ve seen and heard time and time again how great of a rapport and relationship that he has with the players on the field. He’s kind of like a players first coach that gives solid advice but also keeps them energized from game one to game 62. And you know there there’s the connection the fact that he is a native of Tampa. He has he in total has played 16 years of professional baseball, a couple years in the bigs and then he played overseas as well. So he also has a little bit of credibility to his name, which not to knock Brady North necessarily, but I think Azie Timonss is a a bigger voice and brings more merit than Brady North, who I think just played college ball and a little bit of indie ball. So Aussie’s been there, done that. Exactly. It’s just a little bit of a difference kind of maybe not even like that guys are not going to listen to radio of course they’re going to listen but it just comes from a different perspective that they might be more relatable and Aussie by the way I remember uh one of my earliest memories of Aussie Timmons was when I was in Venezuela because he used to play in Venezuela uh he uh played five seasons in Venezuelan winter league ba baseball so I I’ve always been fond of Aussie Timmons And I think for example that part of his career can speak to the Latin American guys. Like it can speak like I mean that is huge. And I don’t know to the amounts uh of Spanish that Aussie might know. But you know what I do remember and if you’re a race fan you might also remember how tight was he with Thomas? How tight was he with Randy Rosarena too? Like you can tell you can tell these things. So, I’m honestly so excited about the return of Aussie Timonss. I know that he’s been with the organization um since his um departure from Milwaukee, but this time now getting him inside the dugout. I think it’s going to be really good for the team. I think it’s going to be good for the guys that have known him for a long time. For example, Brandon Laauo, Yandi Diaz, they’ve they’ve been there with him. Let’s not forget this is the guy that that you know got Randy Rosarena to get get up from the plate in game four of the 2020 World Series. So I’m really happy to have him back and boy I mean it would just be awesome to pick his brain not only as a ball pair but on the podcast. It would be great to to get uh you know his his his take on things. If somebody’s got a line to Azie, heck, we could just reach out to the Rays and try to get him on because he is a wealth of experience and knowledge and and I just think the fact that he’s been there, done that in baseball and with the Rays. He knows how the front office works. He knows how the coaching staff works. He knows how the players work and how it’s more of a sum of all parts versus, you know, totally star focused. And there was a quote that stood out to me um from a couple years back. I think uh the most impressive thing about Azie beyond the baseball is his demeanor. He’s a very upbeat guy. His demeanor is consistent every day. I’ve been around him. That was from Kevin Cash. So, I think this is going to be a really good fit. Um but you know, as we know, hitting coaches, it’s lowhanging fruit. Whether you’re the the main guy or the assistant hitting coach, all all the blame and seemingly none of the credit goes to the hitting coach. So, let’s hope the Rays are in for a good offensive year. But I think that that is extremely key is the fact that he can connect with players from Latin America and you know, you’re Americanborn players as well. Yeah. I mean, he is American, so of course he can be able to be relatable to that. No, but uh it’s funny how you you’re saying the the hitting coaches always are going to get the negative but not the positive. It’s funny how sometimes in the pitching side of things, we do actually give a lot of credit to Jim Hickey and and to Snyder. Um, so it’s just funny that that that’s how it operates. But anyway, to to close out, Aussie, great to have you back in in in in the dugout with the Rays and hopefully that just means a little bit more offensive production from not only the outfield, but the whole team itself. Yeah, and I’ll also just add finally is his time with the Brewers. I know that, you know, he was it wasn’t as long as probably he hoped or expected, but I’m sure he learned lessons. And maybe there’s some things that the Brewers do that the Rays could or could not incorporate. I mean, sometimes you need to go somewhere else and see what they do and take some things that they do and avoid some things that they do. So, I think that that kind of brings another level of experience and background to his coaching profile that, you know, he hasn’t just been with the same organization. He’s gone to the other side of the tracks to see how the Brewers do it. And coming back to the Rays, I’m sure uh there’s some good intel there one way or the other. So, again, shout out to Aussie Timonss and good luck to him this season. Uh maybe his first approach should be uh helping Josh Low and Chris Morurell hit more homers from there. That that’s his that’s his first uh assignment or task if you will. On that note, we hope you all have a wonderful day. Stay safe and we will talk to you later.

Tampa Bay Rays shake up their outfield competition, signing Ryan Vilade—a name few fans expected. With the team’s power numbers lagging, will Valade’s solid AAA stats spark real change, or is he just another depth piece?
The hosts dissect the glaring lack of home runs, ranking near the bottom in outfield OPS and RBIs, and challenge sluggers Josh Lowe and Christopher Morel to finally deliver the production Rays fans crave.
Kevin and Ulises spotlight the dynamic speed of Chandler Simpson and Jake Mangum, question the true source of the Rays’ power woes, and debate potential offseason moves. Plus, the arrival of new assistant hitting coach Ozzie Timmons injects hope for a refreshed offensive approach—and a possible turnaround for Lowe and Morel.
Can the revamped coaching staff and fresh blood transform Tampa Bay’s lineup before Opening Day?

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