The Tampa Bay Rays have been a very busy team this winter, and they continue to reshape their roster for 2026. Recently, they were able to pull off a deal to give themselves a new option at a position of need. 

Coming into the offseason, the Rays had the goal of trying to improve an outfield that really struggled to perform offensively. To kick things off in free agency rather quickly, the team elected to sign Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley to join a crowded group in the outfield. 

Furthermore, they then traded away their star slugger, Brandon Lowe, in a deal that brought back, most notably, Jacob Melton from the Houston Astros. Melton also plays the outfield, but whether or not he was going to make the Opening Day roster despite playing for the Astros last year was a bit uncertain. 

However, the team recently traded away one of their projected starters, Josh Lowe, as part of a three-team deal and was able to bring back former first-round pick Gavin Lux. 

Lux Provides Another Option for Second Base