Rays continues to pioneer market for offensive help

Rays president of baseball operations Eric Neander told reporters at the end-of-season press conference in October that the club wants to add a big bat, especially a left-handed variety, this winter after the Tampa Bay offense scored just one. He ran over 24 innings in the Marathon 2-Game Wild Card Series Outcast vs. Guardian.

686 total OPS during the 2022 regular season, ranking 25th among all 30 major league clubs. 234/.305/.

In a recent chat with Mark Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Neander admitted that it’s probably too late to make any meaningful and aggressive additions from what’s left on the open market.

“As the winter passed and we were speaking publicly, I think the focus was on established players, ideally left-handed and the right type of player for our group.” Neanderthals told Topkin. “We are really happy with the assortment of breakthrough and bounce-back players that we have on our roster right now. Not so many.”

There has been chatter about a number of possible pursuits to help the cause — the Rays have been linked to things like free agency at various points. Josh Bell When Andrew McCutchenThey were also said to be hunting Sean Murphy before the Athletics dealt him to the Braves as part of a three-team exchange that also involved the Brewers. Michael Brantley When brandon belt before those players signed elsewhere.

Hopefully the exchange for run-scoring help will materialize sometime this spring, or before the Rays go into camp in Orlando, Fla. Neander will also be on the lookout for action during the 2023 season. Wonder Franco, Josh RoweWhen Jonathan Aranda — It doesn’t go well in the first half of the process.

With the Blue Jays (3rd in total OPS last year at .760) and the Yankees (4th in total OPS at .751) in the AL East, it’s all very difficult, but Topkin has a rough addition to the Rays. suggests there is room. As the baseball calendar shifts into the summer months, a salary of 70MM will accrue.

Maybe you have a circle back with A who is always open to business and likely to listen Seth Brown That’s despite hitting 25 homers in 150 games last year.Or you may have a match with Twins turned on Max Kepler Given that Minnesota recently added Michael A. Taylor from royals. One thing the Rays certainly have is his prospects for both low-level and MLB-ready types. Front of Tampa Bay His office has never lacked creativity in finding ways to deliver improvements under the radar.