The Rays are heading back to the postseason for the first time since 2023, and Chandler Simpson is stepping onto that stage with a profile that doesn’t look like anybody else’s.
That’s part of the appeal. Simpson has been singled out as one of 10 players in the league who could make an impact in their first postseason, and it’s easy to see why.
He brings speed, contact, and a very different kind of pressure to Tampa Bay’s lineup. He puts the ball in play, avoids swing-and-miss, and keeps defenses uneasy once he reaches base.
The numbers tell the story. Simpson is hitting .309, good for fourth in baseball with just a few days left in the regular season. Yordan Alvarez leads the league at .316 with three games remaining, so Simpson is still in the mix for an AL batting title.
He’s also been a menace on the bases. After stealing 44 bags as a rookie in 2025, he’s up to 46 stolen bases this season, which leads the AL and ranks second in the majors behind only Nasim Nuñez of the Washington Nationals, who has 49.
And the speed doesn’t stop there. Simpson has turned himself into a valuable outfielder, too, with noticeable improvement on defense.
What makes him even more unusual is the lack of power. He hasn’t hit a home run this season, and that’s not by accident.
His game is built around contact, getting on base, and moving the line along for the next hitter. The last qualified hitter to finish a season with zero home runs was Myles Straw in 2022.
That approach has fit right into Tampa Bay’s season. Simpson has helped the Rays by reaching base, putting constant pressure on opponents, and becoming a threat to run almost every time he gets aboard.
Now the question is how all of that plays when the games get bigger. Simpson’s postseason debut should be one of the most intriguing watches on the board, for the Rays and for the sport as a whole.
In Other News...
Rays Rookies Have Forced Their Way Into A Real October Debate
Ty Johnson and Brody Hopkins have turned a late-season promotion into something more meaningful for the Rays, making immediate impressions with the kind of pitching that can change how a playoff staff is built. Both rookies were recently brought up to the majors and quickly showed enough for pitching coach Kyle Snyder to highlight Hopkins exceptional pitches and Johnsons effective delivery, a notable endorsement at a time when Tampa Bay is looking closely at every arm it can trust.
Kevin Cash said roster decisions remain preliminary, and there are still spots open as the club weighs the readiness of other pitchers working back from injury. Even so, the way Johnson and Hopkins have pitched has pushed them into the conversation for the American League Division Series, which is exactly the sort of October problem the Rays were hoping to have, even if the final call is still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Blow Four-Run Lead In A Frustrating Reminder Before October
Ian Seymour gave the Rays exactly what they wanted in a tune-up setting, carving through five scoreless innings while Tampa Bay spent the afternoon looking like a club with one eye already on October. With the AL East and top playoff seed secured, the Rays leaned on the game to rest key pitchers and sort through their playoff preparation, but the early cushion they built still made the eventual outcome sting a little more than a September exhibition ought to.
The trouble started once the bullpen took over, and a four-run lead entering the sixth inning unraveled into a 6-4 loss. The decisive blow came on a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth, turning a comfortable afternoon into the kind of reminder teams try to avoid right before the postseason, when every late-inning pitch gets a little more magnified. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Are Betting On One Bullpen Arm For October
Manuel Rodriguez is back on the Rays active roster after recovering from a low back strain, giving Tampa Bay another late-season bullpen option as the postseason arrives. To clear space, the club designated right-hander Jake Woodford for assignment, a move that underscores how tightly every roster spot is being managed with October in view.
Rodriguez is expected to be part of the bullpen mix in the playoffs, a boost the Rays will take with some other arms still unavailable for the ALDS. With Shane McClanahan among the injured pitchers, Tampa Bay is leaning on health and matchup value as it tries to line up the right relief help for the games that matter most. [Read more 🡒]