The Tampa Bay Rays know they have to get creative when it comes to upgrading the talent on their roster compared to their American League East rivals.
Since their inception, the Rays have operated on a notoriously strict budget. They have regularly been in the bottom third of the league when it comes to spending on the Big League roster, presenting challenges in such a loaded division.
However, there is some hope and optimism that the spending gap between Tampa Bay and its peers could start to shrink. Under new ownership this offseason, the Rays are viewed by many as a wild-card team because no one knows what to expect from them.
Will they operate as the status quo, spending very little and looking for the most affordable upgrades on the market? Or will the new ownership open up the checkbook and allow the front office to start spending some money?
American League East teams expected to spend big this winter
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For this winter, at least, nothing is expected to change. Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) provided an update on some of the buzz that went around the MLB General Managers Meetings, and fans of the Rays are going to be disappointed.
Most of the AL East teams are expected to spend a lot of money this offseason, of course, except for Tampa Bay.
That follows suit with other reports before the meetings even got underway. The Rays were viewed as a potential dark horse in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, but a commitment of that size is unexpected from the franchise.
This is disappointing news because Tampa Bay has a strong emerging core on its roster. There are a lot of young players to get excited about, but there was already a significant gap that existed between them and the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
Rays at major disadvantage against Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles and Blue Jays
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The Rays did finish with more victories than the Baltimore Orioles, but they are the only team showing a willingness to spend money in the early going to address the needs on their roster.
Tampa Bay likely showed its hand about how things would operate this offseason when it declined the player option for closer Pete Fairbanks. Committing $11 million to him was a big ask, but at least it would have sent a sign to the fan base and other franchises around the league that they were willing to start spending some money.
Instead, they very well could have aided one of their rivals in addressing bullpen woes. Fairbanks has already been connected to every AL East team except the Yankees, who added David Bednar in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the MLB trade deadline in July.
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