The Rays just turned a season nobody saw coming into a World Series run, and that changes everything about this offseason.
Tampa Bay spent 2026 blowing past the low expectations that had them pegged for the bottom of the AL East. Instead, the Rays spent most of the year on top of the division and emerged as one of baseball’s best teams.
By the time the trade deadline rolled around, it was obvious they weren’t just hanging around - they were a legitimate threat to win the AL. The front office deserves credit for seeing that and acting on it.
That urgency showed up in the summer additions, most notably Liam Hicks and Freddy Peralta. Hicks is under team control for the next couple of years, but Peralta was in the final year of his deal. He was excellent in Tampa Bay, and his performance only sharpened the takeaway from this season: the Rays need another starter this winter.
This is also a different moment for the organization. The Rays have historically been reluctant to spend, but they now have new ownership, a World Series appearance behind them and a new stadium coming in a few years. If there was ever a time to push a little harder financially, this is it.
They’ve already picked up the option for Drew Rasmussen, and the expectation is that he will lead the rotation next year. That’s a strong sign the Rays are treating 2027 as a real contender window, not a one-year fluke.
But the rotation still has a hole to fill. Nick Martinez and Peralta are both free agents, and that leaves Tampa Bay with a major void to address. The Rays should be focused on the starting staff as one of their biggest priorities this offseason.
There are options, including a return for one of those right-handers. But quality starting pitching costs money, and Tampa Bay is going to have to spend to keep this group at the level it reached this year.
The Rays have shown they can win big. Now they need to make sure they don’t let the rotation slip.
In Other News...
Rays Offense Just Earned The Respect Fans Waited All Year For
The Rays offense is getting some late recognition, and it comes with a chance to turn individual production into leaguewide hardware. Junior Caminero and Chandler Simpson were both named finalists for the American League Silver Slugger Awards, a nod to a lineup that found impact in very different ways. Camineros power at third base gave Tampa Bay a middle-of-the-order anchor, while Simpsons speed and contact made him one of the most disruptive players on the bases.
Caminero finished with 42 home runs and 101 RBIs and earned his second straight All-Star selection, while Simpson hit .306 and led the league with 46 stolen bases. The Rays also landed among the finalists for the American League Offensive Team of the Year honor, a sign that the groups production was noticed beyond the standings. Winners will be announced Nov. 17, and for a team that spent much of the year looking for respect at the plate, the wait now shifts to whether the awards match the production. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Could Show Their Hand As Frozen Offseason Reaches Vegas
The offseason has barely thawed, and the Rays are heading into the MLB general managers meetings in Las Vegas with the rest of the sport still waiting for movement. With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Dec. 1, the market has been unusually quiet, leaving clubs to circle the same names and wait for the first real dominoes to fall. Tampa Bay has been part of that broader holding pattern, but the meetings should at least give front offices a chance to test the temperature on trades and other possibilities.
For the Rays, that makes Vegas more than a routine stop on the calendar. The club has a history of staying active when the right opportunity surfaces, and this stretch of the offseason could be where those conversations finally start to sharpen. The general managers meetings are often more about laying groundwork than finishing deals, but with so little done so far, even a little clarity would stand out. [Read more 🡒]