The Tampa Bay Rays have been quite busy this winter, but there is still work to be done before the start of the 2026 season.
To start the winter, the Rays made a number of moves to get the ball rolling and address a couple of areas of need. In their outfield, they signed both Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley to help bolster the lineup and improve depth for the unit. Furthermore, they also added left-handed pitcher Steven Matz to help fill a need in the rotation.
These three signings indicated that Tampa Bay was looking to compete in 2026. However, the recent trading of Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz quickly changed that narrative. While both of the trades brought back some excellent young talent and can be seen as a win for the franchise long-term, they didn’t help them compete in 2026.
Even though being a playoff contender was a goal for the team next season, that is looking unlikely as of now with the moves that they have made so far.
Will Leitch of MLB recently released his first power rankings of the new year, and the Rays slipped from 20th to 22nd in the updated version.
Rays Don’t Appear to be a Contender in Latest MLB Power Rankings