The Tampa Bay Rays are starting to see their roster take shape for 2026, but there are still a couple of big questions for the team.
As expected, the Rays have made a number of moves this winter and have been quite active. However, as the team tries to compete in 2026, they have also had their eye on the future. Some moves made by Tampa Bay helped in the short term, but the most significant ones had the long-term outlook in mind
With the American League East being incredibly talented, the Rays currently don’t appear to be a contender. The decision to trade Brandon Lowe especially weakened the roster and the lineup significantly. While the return for him was a good one, headlined by outfielder Jacob Melton, there isn’t a viable option on the team to replace what he brought to the table offensively.
While the team could seek an external option to improve at the position, they do have a couple of internal options that they might try to battle it out in spring training. Recently, Adam Berry of MLB predicted that it would be Richie Palacios winning the starting job for Opening Day.
Richie Palacios Predicted to Start