With pitchers and catchers starting to report, the Tampa Bay Rays will be excited to get back on the field and try to compete in the American League East.
This winter, the AL East did not disappoint when it came to making moves. With three teams from the division making the playoffs last year, that is trending toward being the case once again. While it was the Rays and Baltimore Orioles who missed the postseason last year, the Orioles were one of the teams that spent a ton of money to improve this winter.
For Tampa Bay, what they are going to be able to accomplish in 2026 is a bit hard to predict. This is a team that will likely be trying to utilize some of their young talent, and those types of players are generally unknown. Furthermore, with the roster looking a lot different, it will be interesting to see who wins some positional battles during spring training.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about one sentence to describe the Rays heading into spring training. He highlighted that they are ‘probably up to something”.
Can the Rays Surprise Everyone?
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
When looking at the decisions made by Tampa Bay this winter, it is easy to say that they are looking to rebuild more than they are seeking to be a contender. The notable trades that the team made were geared more toward the future than the present. Trading All-Star slugger Brandon Lowe and starting pitcher Shane Baz didn’t make the team better for 2026, but they got a plethora of prospects in return.
However, while it was easy to look at the team as a seller this winter with moves like that, they were active in free agency. Tampa Bay signed multiple veterans to help in 2026, including Nick Martinez, Cedric Mullins, Jake Fraley, and Steven Matz.
The Rays always try to find the balance between being a contender and keeping an eye toward the future. That was clearly the plan for them this winter, and they might be able to surprise people. If things go right, they have what could be a very good starting rotation, especially if Shane McClanahan is able to stay healthy. Furthermore, while the lineup might have some concerns, the Top 4 appears to be very good.
Overall, the Rays are usually a challenging team to try to predict, and that appears to be the case once again heading into 2026.
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