With the offseason right around the corner for the Tampa Bay Rays, the franchise figures to be looking to make some improvements to the roster in order to get back into contention in 2026. 

Despite finishing well under the .500 mark in 2025, the Rays were a better team than their record indicated. Tampa Bay ranked right in the middle of the pack in terms of a lot of major statistical categories, but the team unfortunately had a bad summer with an unbalanced schedule. 

Heading into the winter, there are a couple of areas that the team might look to make some upgrades. What could be interesting for the team is that they might add some players while dealing a couple of their veterans heading into the final year of their deals. 

This is a somewhat uncommon practice, but one that can make a lot of sense when done correctly. That is what the Rays will be trying to do this winter, and there is one player who could be a strong fit for the team. Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the Rays being one of the top fits this winter for slugger Ryan O’Hearn. 

Why O’Hearn Makes Sense