October 10, 2023: NL Wild Card Game 1
 

https://i.imgur.com/j9rfmmz.png

Sean Murphy's second homer of the game walked it off for Atlanta, and San Diego romped with help from a familiar face you can see in the upper right above.

October 11, 2023: AL Wild Card Game 1 & NL Wild Card Game 2
 

https://i.imgur.com/NU9cnsB.png

Minnesota wins its opener behind former Ray Joe Ryan, the Red Sox are trounced by Cleveland at home, the Brewers force a deciding third game in Atlanta, and the Mets' season is over as the Padres take a pair at CitiField and advance to take on St. Louis in the NLDS.

October 12, 2023: AL Wild Card Game 2 & NL Wild Card Game 3
 

https://i.imgur.com/5GI0Ii5.png

Our ALDS opponent remains unknown as the Tigers evened up their wild card series to force a deciding Game 3 while the Red Sox are out of the playoffs after being shut down by Shane Bieber and Cleveland, who are off to take on the Angels in the other ALDS. And Atlanta is on to the NLDS to take on the Dodgers after a great game from Casey Mize.

October 12, 2023: Rays transaction
 

We claimed OF Josh Naylor on waivers from Cleveland. Naylor has good ratings even if the results aren't incredible (260/335/452). He doesn't offer much defensive value (45/50 in the OF) but is a left-handed bat as we're kind of righty-heavy. Highly questionable he's on the 2024 OD roster but he gives us another option. To make room for him Esteury Ruiz is DFA'd; he probably should clear waivers.

October 13, 2023: AL Wild Card Game 3
 

https://i.imgur.com/VLsRife.png

And the Rays' opponent in the ALDS will be the Twins, who dramatically tied it up in the 9th on a Byron Buxton double and won it in 14 on a Gio Urshela RBI single.

October 14, 2023: NLDS Game 1
 

October 15, 2023: ALDS Game 1 & NLDS Game 2
 

Ugh...

https://i.imgur.com/eJxE7OU.png

The Rays were one out away from taking a 1-0 series lead and a 1-0 win, but after Pete Fairbanks fanned the first two Twins in the 9th, Alex Kirilloff singled and Byron Buxton doubled in the tying run before the Twins scored twice off Yonny Chirinos in the 13th to take a 3-1 win, following the same pattern they used to win Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. The Rays had a chance to tie or win in the bottom of the 13th when they loaded the bases for Jonathan Schoop but he flied to center to cap an 0-6 days in which he personally left 9 men on base. Before extras the story was how each team had runners galore (especially Minnesota, who stranded 16 on the day) but couldn't get them home. The Rays strung three singles together in the 4th for their lone run but couldn't do much either. Now Shane Baz will try to keep us from going down 0-2 back to Minnesota tomorrow. Elsewhere:

https://i.imgur.com/yu1B4lf.png

As much as I felt (and still feel) we got the better of the Tyler Glasnow trade with the Angels, he may be getting the last playoff laugh this year as he was dominant in LA's opening-game win. Meanwhile the Cards are 2/3 of the way to the NLCS while Atlanta-Dodgers is now a best-of-3.

October 16, 2023: ALDS Game 2
 

I hate extra f***in innings...

https://i.imgur.com/6uAAyMX.png

The Rays' 2023 season is officially on life support after dropping another extra-inning game to Minnesota at Tropicana Field, this time 6-4 to fall behind 0-2 in the ALDS. Max Kepler was a one-man wrecking crew for the Twins, hitting a 3-run homer off Shane Baz (whom I left in one batter too long) to put Minnesota up 4-1 and after the Rays fought valiantly to tie it up, he blasted a 2-run shot off Jalen Beeks in the 11th to win it. There'll be some controversy as Beeks was in over closer Pete Fairbanks, but Minnesota had three lefties including Kepler due up and Beeks had a 1-2-3 inning against that part of the order yesterday. I'm not really one for bright spots right now but Jake Cronenworth did have his best game as a Ray today with 3 hits including an key RBI single in the comeback. Drew Rasmussen will start in two days in Minnesota to try and keep us alive, but he'll be on a short leash.

Meanwhile the Guardians tie things up in the other ALDS:

https://i.imgur.com/rDiWbUs.png

October 17, 2023: NLDS Game 3
 

October 18, 2023: ALDS Game 3 & NLDS Game 4
 

Pathetic...

https://i.imgur.com/JhZNQRL.png

So much talent in this lineup, so little production as the Rays only managed 5 runs in the 3 games (almost 4 with the extra innings played in the first two games) of this series culminating in a 2-0 loss allowing Minnesota to sweep its way into the ALCS. Drew Rasmussen pitched his heart out and had nothing to show for it as the bats were splinters today. Perhaps a mistake of mine was to not activate Wander Franco fresh off a 2-month absence and throw him in there as Taylor Walls was a black hole of offense, and given how close all three losses were he could have made a difference.

There will be changes coming as JD Martinez and Mitch Haniger are free agents so RF and DH are open as will 2B as we're not going pay Jake Cronenworth in arbitration. We have a lot of options and a lot of talent (a whopping 14 of the top 98 prospects in baseball) so we can either bring guys up or package them in trades for some impact bats. The pitching is mostly back and I have two rookies who are MLB-ready to start in Taj Bradley and John Swanda. But we'll get into all that soon enough with the offseason posts. Here's the rest of today's playoff action:

https://i.imgur.com/dIZQOMn.png

Congrats to the Cards who were the best team in MLB during the regular season and will at least make it to the NLCS. High drama in Atlanta with Buddy Kennedy's walk-off winner and the Angels are one win away from their first ALCS since 2009, the pre-Trout days.

October 19, 2023: ALDS Game 4
 

https://i.imgur.com/MkruC2R.png

And it's Angels-Twins in the ALCS as at least a couple of former Rays are moving on with Chris Archer pitching great today and joining Tyler Glasnow for another playoff round. Can Mike Trout finally get his ring? Stay tuned.

October 20, 2023: NLDS Game 5
 

https://i.imgur.com/8C3Fm9E.png

And it'll be the Dodgers and the Cardinals in the NLCS as we move closer to a possible Freeway Series. Trea Turner was 5-5 today in a wild game that went LA's way.

Also there were a bunch of retirements from guys who hung on this year in AAA:

https://i.imgur.com/WLtDR1S.png

Some former Rays in there with Wilson Ramos, Stephen Vogt.

October 22, 2023: NLCS Game 1
 

October 23, 2023: ALCS Game 1 & NLCS Game 2
 

https://i.imgur.com/awM7xaL.png

The ALCS opened with a matchup of former Rays as the Angels sent Tyler Glasnow to the mound against the Twins and Joe Ryan, and it was a third former Ray who factored into the decision as Ryan Yarbrough took the loss for LA. Meanwhile Will Smith's 3-run homer in the 9th off Kevin Ginkel, who was nearly unhittable this year (52 saves, 115 whiffs in 75 innings, only 3 HR allowed and 4.0 WAR - a ridiculous number for a reliever) got the Dodgers level in the NLCS.

October 24, 2023: ALCS Game 2
 

https://i.imgur.com/jkjiNJx.png

It was the full Shohei Ohtani experience today as he went 6 2/3 for the win and homered as well to get the Angels even.

But bad news for the Angels and Tyler Glasnow:

https://i.imgur.com/67nJbwC.png

Health is a skill and Glasnow doesn't have it, another reason I'm glad I dealt him.

October 25, 2023: NLCS Game 3
 

October 26, 2023: ALCS Game 3 & NLCS Game 4
 

October 27, 2023: ALCS Game 4 & NLCS Game 5
 

https://i.imgur.com/LekjVTZ.png

Instead of a Freeway Series we may be in for a rematch of the 1987 World Series as the Twins got a 2-run Alex Kirilloff double and a Victor Caratini RBI single to pull out a dramatic walk-off win in the 9th to even the ALCS while the Cardinals and Dylan Carlson head back to St. Louis needing only one win to reach the World Series.

October 28, 2023: ALCS Game 5
 

https://i.imgur.com/qnx4yW4.png

And we are that much closer to 1987 redux as the Twins took Game 5 behind former Ray Joe Ryan, who pitched well despite giving up homers to Trout and Ohtani.

Meanwhile, there was this:

https://i.imgur.com/NU3dLkw.png

Mears had his massive season after coming over in 2022 as part of the trade which sent Xavier Edwards back to the Padres and also brought Esteury Ruiz (who by the way did clear waivers) our way. He worked himself into the top 100 prospect list and has a shot at winning the RF job next season where his 65 power could come in handy.

October 29, 2023: NLCS Game 6
 

https://i.imgur.com/nPvn0rB.png

Hopes of a Freeway Series remain alive as the Dodgers have forced a Game 7 in the NLCS.

October 30, 2023: ALCS Game 6 & NLCS Game 7
 

First the NLCS decider:

https://i.imgur.com/vIadEyy.png

Dylan Carlson almost single-handedly put the Cardinals in the World Series as not only did he have 4 homers prior to Game 7, his walk-off shot in the bottom of the 14th won it in the most dramatic of fashions:

https://i.imgur.com/grJXNrv.png

So there won't be a Freeway Series, but not for lack of trying by the Angels as we're going the distance in the ALCS as well:

https://i.imgur.com/wQm4P4u.png

October 31, 2023: ALCS Game 7
 

Tonight we're going to party like it's 1987:

https://i.imgur.com/ukkYpjc.png

It's Cardinals-Twins in the World Series, and if it goes like most of the rest of the playoffs has (as well as 1987), we're going 7.

November 2, 2023: World Series Game 1
 

https://i.imgur.com/d6X7zic.png

Rays fans got to live vicariously during this pitching duel for the ages in 44-degree November weather between Joe Ryan and Blake Snell, and Snell got his wish from 2020 granted when he wasn't pulled, but the result was the same as he lost a no-hitter in the 9th when Byron Buxton doubled in the winning run.

We do know now this won't be 1987 redux as a road team has actually won a game.

November 3, 2023: World Series Game 2
 

All aboard the Twins train...

https://i.imgur.com/ah3XHCb.png

November 5, 2023: World Series Game 3
 

Ah, nothing like a World Series outdoors in Minnesota in November, 29 degrees with a 10-MPH wind. But it felt great for the Cards as perhaps this time around the teams will play a World Series in which the road team wins all the games:

https://i.imgur.com/TfpPfQj.png

November 6, 2023: World Series Game 4
 

https://i.imgur.com/pST4PRt.png

Well the home team finally won a game and now the 84-win Twins are one win away from beating the heavily favored Cardinals for the title. Considering how terrible he was with Tampa Bay, Rays fans always figured it would be a cold day in hell before Chris Mazza pitched a gem in the World Series, and that's what he did today in 22-degree (!) weather. (No way IRL a game would go on in that kind of cold, would it?)

November 7, 2023: World Series Game 7
 

They did it!

https://i.imgur.com/k8C1vJA.png

The Twins shocked the world by upsetting the Cardinals in 5 games to take their first World Series since 1991. It's not mentioned in the recap above but shockingly the World Series MVP went to Dylan Carlson even though his team lost in 5 games. He was 7 for 20 with 2 HR and 7 RBI in the 5 games and Carlson also amazingly turned out to be the MVP of the NLDS, NLCS and World Series, something I'm not sure has ever happened.

So at least the Rays lost to the eventual champions.

2023-24 Offseason: State of the Team
 

The big news as always going into the offseason is what the payroll is going to be, and Stu Sternberg has decided I can spend up to $120M. Here are our existing obligations (anyone not listed is making the minimum):

https://i.imgur.com/lxZUB1L.png

This payroll adds up to a projected $97.7M but it's going to be a lot less than this because I'm not keeping all these guys. Cronenworth (5.8), Raley (5.0), Beeks (4.2), Graveman (4.0), Mejia (2.8) and Anderson (1.7) won't be on the roster next year, so there's $23.5M gone right off the top. I will try to trade these guys and those I can't will be non-tendered. Considering I always want to keep a $10-15M buffer, that will still leave me $30-35M to play with.

Here's my outlook positionally:

C-Christian Vazquez is back with 3 more years on his contract left. He did a good job with the staff but was terrible at the plate, hoping for some positive regression there. Mejia is too expensive and not productive enough to be worth it as a backup, so I'll either go with Rene Pinto or a veteran who's available for peanuts in the spring (there always seem to be a few worthy backups like this each year).

1B-Andrew Vaughn was a bit of disappointment although he did get hot later in the year so he'll keep his spot. Curtis Mead is an alternative here.

2B-This is the big question mark in the lineup. Jake Cronenworth was terrible after coming over and I'm no mood to pay him $6M. We have Jeremiah Jackson who has some pop (55 power) and can play the position (65, with a 9.1 ZR in AA/AAA combined last year). I'll also see what's available on trade market here.

SS-Stay healthy, Wander.

3B-Alex Bregman had an MVP-caliber season (a nice 6.9 WAR) and is under contract for one more year, so let's do it again.

MI-Taylor Walls was great filling in for Wander the first time, not so much the second (and more extended) time. He's fine as a good glove guy as a backup who can draw walks and steal some bases, but he really can't hit.

CI-Curtis Mead had a decent rookie season and hopefully he can take a step up. He'll back up Vaughn at 1B and figure into the DH mix.

LF-Randy Arozarena had a sneaky-good season at 4.9 WAR last year so he's staying.

CF-Ditto for Josh Lowe, although hopefully his September fade isn't an omen for a 2024 downturn.

RF-This spot is open as Mitch Haniger goes free agent. Possibilities include Zach DeLoach (whom I'd probably prefer as our 4th OF), rookie Josh Mears, the Southern League MVP with massive power whom I detailed during the playoffs, the recently-claimed Josh Naylor, and old standby Heliot Ramos, who carried the team during April and May before cratering so badly he was sent to AAA and ended up injured.

DH-Also open with JD Martinez gone. Mead and some of the guys mentioned in the RF mix are possibilities and we'll see what bats are out there.

SP-The entire rotation of Baz-McClanahan-Patino-Rasmussen-Chirinos/Loaisiga returns and we have prospects Taj Bradley and John Swanda ready to step in, so we really have 8 starters at the moment. Good chance they're all with the club next year with Chirinos and/or Loaisiga ending up long relievers and Bradley and/or Swanda in short relief to apprentice for a year before joining the rotation in 2025.

Bullpen: The core group of Fairbanks-Feyereisen-Kittredge-Gau-Springs are all back and if I go with all 8 pitchers listed under starters there's my 13-man staff. I'd like another lefty in there somewhere and we still have Forrest Whitley (who could also start) so the 13 above aren't necessarily a complete lock.

Prospects: You want prospects? we got prospects:

https://i.imgur.com/RfewONJ.png

13 in the top 100 and a 14th just missing. I'd say that's pretty good. Among these I already mentioned Swanda and Bradley should be on the staff in 2024, Jackson is a candidate for the 2B job and Mears has a shot at RF or DH. One guy I didn't mention who's probably MLB-ready is #104 guy Schmitt, who will probably be named International League MVP after an incredible .297-33-111 season at Durham with good D at the hot corner. Obviously Bregman is blocking him this year and he may have to repeat AAA as a result but he's penciled in as the 2025 starter. Otherwise the others are too far away with exception of Florence, who came out of nowhere last year as an MiLB free agent we signed last winter, developed a splitter while adding some velocity and became perhaps the top pitcher in the IL last season as he was 13-9, 3.35 with 203 Ks in 209 IP. He will likely be trade bait this offseason as he seems a real sell-high candidate.

We're also going to have a Rule 5 40-man crunch coming up so look for deals necessitated by that as well.

So it shapes up to be an interesting offseason, and I already have one blockbuster deal currently under discussion so stay tuned.

2023-24 Offseason, Part 1
 

So time to clear out some of the guys we don't plan to keep before they get their pay bumps in arbitration, and here's the first of those deals:

https://i.imgur.com/Hm1CCvq.png

Not thrilled about helping out a division rival, but they did make the best offer. Bello is a swingman who pitched well with Boston last year (3.54 ERA, 1.18 WHIP in 11 starts and 18 relief appearances over 96 innings). He'll be ticketed for Durham as depth. Decker is a B- prospect who profiles as a fourth outfielder, average-above average defense in the corners and a 250/350/450-25 double-20 homer bat. Tedosio is a package guy who has some pop and plays good corner OF D but is contact-challenged. Really the key was getting something for Mejia and Graveman, who are good players but surplus to our requirements.

Dump trade #2:

https://i.imgur.com/Xb4ctvO.png

Yeah, yeah helping another rival as we trade with the team which knocked us out of the playoffs on their way to an improbable World Series title, but again best offer. The key player in the deal (aside from moving the salaries and opening the 40-man spots) is Diaz, a 3B who is rated 55 power/55 contact and 45 at the position. He's definitely behind Casey Schmitt on our depth charts, but looks like a useful corner IF type. Julien has power but not much contact at 1B, and aside from a great name Willie Joe Garry, Jr. doesn't have much to offer except for some good outfield D.

OK enough of the preliminaries - you're here for the good stuff. And it doesn't get much better than this:

https://i.imgur.com/hoEXUCs.png

Ladies and gentleman, Juan Soto is a Tampa Bay Ray. Inspired by the fact that the Rays dealt for him at the same time in my Pirates Rebuild, and of course all the trade talk surrounding him IRL, I decided to see what it would take to get perhaps the best offensive player in baseball in a Tampa Bay uniform. Now of course this is just as a rental since Soto is in his final arbitration year, but you never know about an extension (OK probably not). And while it wasn't a bargain the cost was quite manageable (despite what my AGM says, more about that in a bit). We're giving up the #63 prospect in baseball in Florence, whom I discussed in the previous post as someone I was willing to deal, a decent mid-200s prospect in Mercado who could be a 4th/5th finesse/control righty starter, and an established MLB 2B in Cronenworth whom I didn't want to bring back. So no cost at all to the roster as currently configured or projected and I have my RF, although Soto will likely play LF and Arozarena will shift to right. About my AGM: he loved the deal when I had it in a configuration with Shane McClanahan instead of Florence which from a win-now baseball perspective would have been much worse for us. Mac is set to make around $4M this year so we would have saved a few bucks, but c'mon.

Now just feast your eyes, and look at his numbers from the last couple of seasons:

https://i.imgur.com/oy2wvUq.png

I think I need a cigarette.

November 14: After getting Kendall Graveman from us the Red Sox continue to beef up their pen by acquiring closer Ryan Pressly from Houston.

November 17: Some big news - The Gold Gloves were handed out and Randy Arozarena won one for LF in the AL! Also we avoided arbitration with some key players, including signing Juan Soto for $22M this year. We'll now see what he wants for a real extension, but I know it will be in the neighborhood of $40M/year.

And we may have found our lefty reliever. With Beeks traded and Brooks Raley to be non-tendered, we were down to just Jeffrey Springs but now we've claimed Tanner Scott on waivers. He's rated 65 stuff/65 movement and 45 control and looks to be decent enough. Last year he walked 17 and fanned 62 in 46 IP with Milwaukee and had a 3.42 ERA.

November 18: More awards!

https://i.imgur.com/nafGu5Y.png

Congrats to Pete, who was very reliable except for a brief two-week or so stretch where he blew some saves.

November 19: The Silver Sluggers were handed out today and we had two winners, both of whom were in-season acquisitions. Alex Bregman won at 3B and did about 80% of his damage with us while JD Martinez took the nod at DH, doing about 30-40% of his damage with us. And you could say we had a third winner, as Juan Soto won in RF for the NL.

November 20: Texas 3B Josh Jung won the AL Rookie of the Year after a .288-17-64 season with Curtis Mead finishing 4th and Chris Gau 5th. In the NL the award went to Arizona's Nolan Gorman at .274-19-66.

November 22: Shane Bieber was the AL Cy Young winner, he went 19-6, 3.21 with 261 whiffs in 235 IP, beating out Gerrit Cole 20 first place votes to 10. It was Bieber's 2nd Cy after winning in the shortened 2020 season. Brandon Woodruff was the unanimous winner in the NL coming off a great 15-8, 2.47 year with 259 Ks in 222 IP.

November 23: Death, taxes and Mike Trout as AL MVP. The Angel CF won his 5th trophy and second straight, taking 28 of the 30 first-place votes after a .284-35-85-7.5 WAR season. Kyle Tucker took the other two first-place votes and finished 2nd, while our Alex Bregman showed 3rd. Down ballot JD Martinez finished 11th. In the NL the honors went unanimously to Fernando Tatis Jr. who had a season for the ages at .295-53-133 with a whopping 10.9 WAR. Our new boy Juan Soto was a unanimous 2nd after his 314/461/618 35-HR season.

December 1: Yonny Chirinos and Jonathan Loaisiga won their arbitration hearings and as a result we're a combined $1.8M poorer than anticipated. Our payroll now clocks in at $102M per the salary page or $97M per the main front office page. I'm not sure what is causing the discrepancy.

And Juan Soto wants a 9/390 extension, that's an AAV of $43.2M.

December 3: Boston remains active on the trade front, acquiring veteran starter Lance Lynn from Texas coming off a 7-13, 4.71 season.

December 9: First big non-Juan Soto trade of the offseason as the Dodgers sent slugging OF prospect Andy Pages and relief prospect Osvanni Gutierrez (both of whom I've acquired in other saves) to Oakland for SP Frankie Montas.

Also we have a Rays trade:

https://i.imgur.com/bF9xlSM.png

Lars Nootbaar became kind of a forgotten man in the scheme of things with the OF and 1B acquisitions we made and the prospects who moved ahead of him on our depth charts, so we were willing to risk trading with a division rival to pick up another lefty as we're short on them at the upper levels. Sears pitched well for the Yankees in relief last year and can also start (occasionally as he only has 40 stamina), putting up a 10/49 BB/K ratio in 41 innings with only 25 hits allowed (the catch was 8 HR given up). As a reliever he has 60 stuff and 60 control with 50 movement (potential 55). He'll likely start the year at Durham but could be one of the first guys called up when injuries strike.

December 10: The first big free agent signings took place today with the Mets inking Matt Chapman to a 7/173 deal and Yasmani Grandal going back to the White Sox for 3/70 after spending the last year and a half with the Mets. At the other end of the spectrum former Ray Phoenix Sanders signed a minor league deal with the Yankees.

December 12: The New York tabloids are having a field day as Mets icon Jacob deGrom signed with the crosstown rival Yankees on a 3/98 deal. We'll see how it goes since deGrom is notoriously injury-prone and is currently coming off bone chip surgery. The Yankees meanwhile beefed up their lineup both literally and figuratively by trading for Phillies "OF"/DH Kyle Schwarber, taking on his $20M/year contract for two more seasons and sending Philly a couple of minor leaguers.

December 13: Max Muncy is White-Sox bound for 5/74 and Astros legend Jose Altuve was dealt to the Dodgers for a couple of marginal prospects. Altuve has slipped in recent years and is coming off a 243/315/410 season. St. Louis also dealt for Washington CF Victor Robles.

December 16: Former Rays closer Taylor Rogers is on the move again, going from Arizona to Atlanta in exchange for OF Drew Waters.

December 17: Houston signed longtime St. Louis starter Jack Flaherty to a 6/109 pact, and another Cardinal found a new home as the Yankees improved their CF defense by signing Harrison Bader to a 4/85 deal. Houston also added to their rotation with Sonny Gray on a 4/78 contract. Also former Ray Colin Poche, who languished in our minors the last couple of years, somehow got a 3/12 deal from Atlanta. And speaking of former Rays relievers, Seattle shipped Diego Castillo to the Mets for a prospect.

December 18: We signed a couple of international free agents to minor league contracts. Hisamitsu Kusumoto is a lefty reliever from Japan with marginal stuff (45/50/50) but hey, he's a lefty and he was free. The wonderfully-named Fu-chi Chin is a 22-year-old Taiwanese outfielder with much more promise:

https://i.imgur.com/09tKKe2.png

He plays excellent defense, has speed to burn, and if he can get that contact tool up closer to its potential he could be a useful player.

December 19: Eduardo Rodriguez, who opted out of his big deal with Detroit after a big 2023, signed another big deal with Philly for 6/114, while the Cardinals acquired starter Paul Blackburn from Oakland.

December 20: The White Sox dealt star SS Tim Anderson to the champion Twins for a pair of top-100 prospects in P Ricky DeLeon and OF Emmanuel Gutierrez. Anderson is a free agent after 2024. The other Chicago club also wheeled and dealed, sending SP Marcus Stroman to Cleveland for 5 prospects of varying quality as the Winter Meetings heat up.

December 21: The Dodgers, knowing we have a rookie penciled in to play 2B, offered us Rougned Odor for not much. Thanks but no thanks, don't want a guy who will hit .200 and give us occasional homers, I already lived through the Brandon Lowe experience last two seasons. San Diego dealt 2B Ha-seong Kim to the Reds for SP Tyler Mahle. Mahle is coming off a brutal 6-20, 6.88 season and is owed $16+M for each of the next two years while Kim also has a bad contract.

December 23: The Mets found their Yasmani Grandal replacement in the person of Omar Narvaez on a hefty 5/107 deal and a couple of former longtime Dodgers found new homes with Justin Turner off to Detroit for 3/38 and Kenley Jansen Arizona-bound for 2/16. The D-backs also added to their pen with veteran Chad Green on a 3/23 deal.

We put the egg nog down long enough to make another trade:

https://i.imgur.com/2YMY3rH.png

Because of the late end to the World Series the Rule 5 Draft is now on Boxing Day (the 26th) so here's a deal that was necessitated by that. I'm not going to have room for Austin Shenton on the 40-man, so we dealt him along with Nick Schnell (a personal favorite who panned out as a big leaguer in my previous 2 Rays saves but won't in this one) for Brooks Lee, a name familiar to baseball fans as he was a ballyhooed 1st round pick in 2022:

https://i.imgur.com/d9MIzdu.png

This profile screams "scrappy middle infielder" and Lee had a good 290/366/408 year with great defense for 4.4 WAR in High-A in his first full pro season. A couple of years ago we were awash in middle infielders with the likes of Vidal Brujan, Xavier Edwards and Greg Jones in the pipeline. But those guys are either gone (Brujan and Edwards were traded for power) or struggling (Jones, waived off the 40-man last summer), so we needed to beef up that part of our depth chart. I still have faith in Jeremiah Jackson but Lee gives us some cover.

December 23: Added Ps John Swanda, JJ Goss, Colby White and Sandy Gaston, 2B Jeremiah Jackson and OF Joshua Mears to the 40-man roster.

All but White (a decent reliever) are top-100 prospects and all were no-brainers.

December 24: Ryan Thompson, another reliever who was up with us for a bit and languished in our minors, signed a 2/2.6 deal with San Diego.

December 26: It's Rule 5 Draft time again. The draft pool features 3 top-100 2B prospects but we're not going to commit to keeping any of them on our roster for a full year and as I said I have faith in Jeremiah Jackson. Also I'm certain we're going to lose someone - our last "cut" for the 40-man was Heriberto Hernandez.

Well Texas took Austin Shenton as LA's AI failed to put him on their 40-man, which feels kind of cheap. The Phillies took former Rays IF Mike Brosseau.....aaaaand Washington took Heriberto, damn. Pittsburgh took one of those 2B prospects, Colorado's Yunior Severino while leaving their own (Maikol Escotto) exposed, and now they have both. The Pirates also took another interesting name, Simeon Woods Richardson, from Minnesota; Richardson was part of the big Jose Berrios trade with Toronto in 2021. In all eight players were taken with the Pirates grabbing three.

So Heriberto kind of turns out to be part of the Juan Soto deal in a strange way. I put odds at 50-50 they end up giving him back to us.

December 27: The Reds signed Jurickson Profar to a 4/53 deal.

December 28: After a disappointing 237/322/427 season with only 14 homers after signing a big free agent deal with the Yankees, Jose Abreu was shipped by New York to Arizona for starting pitching prospect Slade Cecconi, a familiar name to those who have followed my 20 and 21 Rays saves (especially the latter as he's currently on the 2029 staff).

December 29: The first of our rental free agents from last year signed with a new team as Mitch Haniger, who was very good for us (AL PotM in August) is going to hit even more homers in the high altitude of Colorado on a 3/39 deal.

December 30: Former Red Sox star Rafael Devers, who spent his walk year in Cincinnati, stays in the NL Central thanks to a 7/117 pact with the Cubs where he joins his former Yankee rival Aaron Judge.

Humorous aside
 

Maybe only humorous to me, but since the real-life Rays controversially took high-school 1B Xavier Isaac with their first-round pick last week I was wondering where he ended up in this save. So I searched and found him - on our FCL team!

That's because I actually drafted him for the Rays in this save's 2022 draft (back in the real May of this year) in the 5th round. I had totally forgotten I did this and I would have been more excited had I remembered during the real draft last week. Apparently my FCL manager doesn't think much of him as he's only managed 5 at-bats over 2 seasons in the FCL. Maybe he'll turn out differently in real life (I sure hope so) but in the meantime my version of Rob Metzler says "Isaac's ceiling is a bench role".

Also the real-life Rays' sandwich 2nd/3rd round picks Ryan Cermak and Chandler Simpson apparently don't exist in this save.

2023-24 Offseason, Part 2
 

January 3: JD Martinez, who had to settle for a 1-year, $4.8M deal with Detroit last year, parlayed his 36-HR, 102-RBI season split between the Tigers and us into a 2/29.6 contract with Oakland. Also Minnesota traded for closer Edwin Diaz, who's coming off elbow bone chips surgery which cut his first season in Arizona short.

January 4: One-time Rays ace Tyler Glasnow, whom we traded to the Angels last season, agreed to a 6/101 deal with San Diego. The oft-injured (and oft-homered against) righty is coming off a fractured shoulder and won't be ready to throw until April.

January 5: Jordan Montgomery, who had a career year with the Yankees last season, turned it into a massive 6/128 deal with Arizona as he had been best remaining starter on the market.

January 6: Boston is serious about contending this year as they swapped their top prospect, #25-ranked overall Marcelo Mayer to the Marlins for starter Trevor Rogers. Rogers had 202 whiffs in 174 innings although he suffered a bloated 5.16 ERA.

January 9: The Phillies apparently got nostalgic as they brought back a couple of guys whom they had a few years earlier, with Andrew McCutchen returning for 2/35.6 and reliever Hector Neris at 2/9.7. Speaking of returns Matthew Boyd, who started 2023 with the Giants before being deal to St. Louis, returned to San Francisco on a healthy 5/91 pact.

January 10: Franmil Reyes, who spent the first couple of months with us last season hitting the occasional homer but doing little else, had to settle for a minor league deal with Atlanta.

January 15: The Phillies shipped slugging 1B Rhys Hoskins to San Diego for catching prospect Brandon Valenzuela.

January 16: Former Rays reliever Matt Wisler landed in Cincinnati for 3/9.3.

January 17: The Hall of Fame voting is in, and nobody makes it in:

https://i.imgur.com/S5KaJy1.png

Good showings for first-year eligibles Beltre and Mauer, but the end of the road for Gary Sheffield. 2nd-year man Carlos Beltran only ticked up about 1%, leading some to speculate his involvement in the Astros scandal is keeping him down.

January 18: In a strange deal the Blue Jays sent good-hitting young C Alejandro Kirk to the Marlins for former Rays OF Avisail Garcia.

January 19: Brooks Raley, who spent the last two seasons with us, is now a Dodger on a 1/2.9 deal.

January 21: Starter Hyun-Jin Ryu signed a 1/8.9 pact with the Yankees after spending the last year and a half in Washington.

January 22: Kolten Wong got a big 5/98 deal from the White Sox.

January 24: The Yankees swapped starter Jameson Taillon to the White Sox for 1B Gavin Sheets.

January 26: One-time Rays farmhand and longtime Rockies starter German Marquez is now a Met on a 3/32.5 contract.

January 29: Another guy who had to take a 1-year deal last season and had a big year to turn it into a multi-year contract was Enrique Hernandez. The versatile Hernandez got security from Cincinnati for 5/91.

January 31: The Reds remained active by scooping up 3B Jeimer Candelario as the former Tiger inks a 3/27 pact.

February 1: The soft-tossing Kyle Hendricks, a mainstay of the Cubs rotation the last several years, is now a Red Sock for 1 year at $2.1M while oft-injured former St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas, another soft-tosser, goes to San Diego for 1/1.2.

February 8: Claimed C Anthony Seigler on waivers from the Yankees, designated 3B Isaac Paredes for assignment.

An actual move of our own. We're extremely thin organizationally at catcher with Rene Pinto our MLB backup and nobody of consequence at Durham. That changes with Seigler, who's a 60 catcher defensively with mediocre hitting ratings (but hit .290 or better his last two seasons at High-A and AA). He was once a ballyhooed prospect in the Yankee system but he still projects as a big league backup and that's all we need right now. Paredes never caught on like he did IRL but we'll gladly taken him back when he clears waivers.

February 9: It's been an offseason of reunions as the Yankees traded to get Aroldis Chapman back from Atlanta for a couple of low-level prospects. The Cuban Missile had signed with Atlanta as a free agent last offseason on a 2-year deal and now is back in New York. Meanwhile Atlanta signed vagabond starter and former Ray Jake Odorizzi to a 1/4.5 deal.

February 13: Yankees IF DJ LeMahieu has retired to become a missionary.

A Valentine's Day story:

https://i.imgur.com/Nqss7vv.png

February 18: In a surprise trade, the Rangers sent newly-minted Rookie of the Year Josh Jung to the Dodgers for young SS Jacob Amaya and a mid-level pitching prospect.

February 23: In a very interesting trade the Yankees sent big-name OF prospect Jasson Dominguez to the Marlins for Jazz Chisholm and slugging 3B prospect Cristhian Rodriguez. Also Atlanta shipped out closer Kirby Yates (who saved 47 games for them last year) to the Angels for a couple of prospects.

February 25: MEGA-DEAL INCOMING!

https://i.imgur.com/CyQFcoQ.png

Well we solved second base by acquiring one of the best in the game at the position in Ozzie Albies, who still has 4 more years at a very reasonable $7M left on his contract (even better the 4th year is a team option so if he suddenly loses his baseball skills we're only on the hook through 2026, but let's hope not). It took an interesting package to get him but nobody we're going to miss that much. Walls wore out his welcome with me when he had to play the last 6-7 weeks for Wander and couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag. He's a fine backup IF though and can fill in at 2B for Atlanta in the meantime. Loaisiga is a very good pitcher although he lost his starting job with us after coming over in the Glasnow deal. He was penciled in as our 5th starter but Yonny Chirinos can do the job, and I'd like to give John Swanda a shot at the rotation (not to mention we have other candidates like JP Sears, Forrest Whitley and Taj Bradley).

Basabe is the best prospect in the deal and could be Atlanta's future 2B, and Wicklander is a "crafty lefty" type who might make it as a 5th starter and who was way down our pecking order of pitching prospects. In the meantime, meet our newest All-Star addition:

https://i.imgur.com/6YQyjLa.png

What about Jeremiah Jackson? He can play a 50 SS and a 55 3B so he should still make the team replacing Walls as the backup infielder, and he can DH a little too to get some at-bats. Right now our projected DH is a Josh Naylor/Curtis Mead platoon.

February 27: Longtime Marlins 1B Garrett Cooper landed in Houston on a 1/7.5 deal.

February 29 (it's a leap year!): The Phillies famous bat-first offseason of 21-22 in which they signed Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos as free agents is now a distant memory. They shipped Schwarber to the Yankees earlier this winter and today they dealt Castellanos to the Angels for 2B David Fletcher.

March 2: OF Mark Canha joined the Angels on a 2/24 deal while veteran reliever Will Smith moves to Boston for 1/6.

March 10: An interesting trade as the Royals send longtime catcher Salvador Perez to the world champion Twins for P Jordan Balazovic (who won 12 games and saved 27 for Minnesota last year) and 3B prospect Tetsuharu Sano who came over as a free agent from Japan this winter.

March 15: The Mets gave 1B Pete Alonso a massive 7/246 extension.

March 17: The Blue Jays lost ace starter Kevin Gausman for the season with a stretched elbow ligament.

March 18: Jorge Soler is off to Kansas City on a 1/3.2 deal.

March 22: Clayton Kershaw's career is in jeopardy as he suffered a torn UCL and will be out 14 months.

2024 Opening Day Roster & Preseason Predictions
 

We survived Spring Training with only a couple of minor injuries which will keep a pair off the Opening Day roster. Wander Franco has back tightness and will miss the opening series against San Diego, and Andrew Kittredge had a sore elbow which will keep him out the first couple of weeks.

Jason Adam and Isaac Paredes had to be waived since they're out of options.

Here's the Opening Day roster:

C-Vazquez, Pinto
1B-Vaughn
2B-Albies
SS-J.Jackson
3B-Bregman
IF-Mead, R.Lewis
LF-Soto
CF-J.Lowe
RF-Arozarena
OF-DeLoach
DH-J.Naylor

As mentioned Naylor will platoon with Mead at DH and Royce Lewis made the team with Wander on the IL.

SP-McClanahan, Baz, Patino, Rasmussen, Chirinos
LR-Sears, Whitley
MR-Gau, T.Scott, Swanda
SU-Feyereisen, Springs
CL-Fairbanks

JP Sears is up in place of Kittredge and Forrest Whitley was out of options so he made the team.

The preseason predictions:

https://i.imgur.com/61yfARO.png

69-93? LOL. I know they don't include Wander since he's not on the active roster, but c'mon. Does Juan Soto get hurt in every iteration since he's not among the leading hitters? I look forward to proving this wrong.

April 1-3, 2024: vs San Diego (3)
 

The traditional opening day box:

https://i.imgur.com/XRaz7TX.png

All eyes were on the Rays debuts of superstars Juan Soto and Ozzie Albies but it was a couple of tenured Rays who stole the show as Randy Arozarena homered twice and Shane McClanahan took a no-hitter into the 6th inning and went 7 1/3 allowing only one hit in a 3-0 win over the Padres to kick off 2024. Not that Soto and Albies were disappointing - both reached base three times with Albies scoring on an Andrew Vaughn single. So I guess we're going 68-93 the rest of the way now.

Game 2: 10-6 W. WP-Scott (1-0). S-Springs (1). Starter-Baz (4.1 7 4 4 2 7). HR-Albies 2 (2), Soto (1), Mead (1). And the new stars made their presence felt as Soto could not be retired (2-2 with 2 walks and the homer) and Albies had a pair of solo shots. Baz couldn't keep a 4-0 lead in the 5th but after San Diego tied the Rays answered with 6 in the bottom of the inning to win it.

Game 3: 8-11 L (13). LP-Feyereisen (0-1). Starter-Patino (3.1 6 3 3 3 2). HR-Bregman (1), Albies (3). This was a tough one - the Rays trailed 8-3 but came all the way back to tie it in the 9th and should have won it in the 10th when they had men on 1st and 3rd with nobody out, but a shallow fly ball, a whiff and another fly ball got San Diego off the hook, and the Padres scored 3 in the 13th to win it. Albies drove in 4 more including a 3-run homer, and Bregman knocked in 3. JP Sears gave up 4 runs after allowing 2 in yesterday's game, so not a good start for him in the pen.

Team record: 2-1. Next up: An off-day then the White Sox visit for 3.

Transactions: We signed C Tucker Barnhart and OF Joc Pederson to minor league deals and they'll play at Durham. No secret we need depth at catcher, and I didn't want to put all my LHB DH eggs in Josh Naylor's basket. Pederson will get $2.2M if he's called up and can opt out in 30 days while Barnhart signed a straight minor-league deal.

MLB News: Teoscar Hernandez signed a 1-year, $5.6M deal with Arizona, and Jacob deGrom is already hurt after making his first Yankees start as he's going to miss 2-3 weeks with a hamstring strain. The Yankees are 4-0 to start the year though after sweeping Toronto.

April 5-7, 2024: vs Chicago White Sox (3)
 

Transaction: Wander Franco was activated off the IL and Royce Lewis was optioned to Durham.

Game 1: 5-1 W. WP-Rasmussen (1-0, 5 8 1 1 0 6). HR-Bregman (2), Soto (2). Josh Naylor had his first big hit as a Ray, a 2-run single in the 2nd to send them on their way to a win. John Swanda had 2 perfect innings of relief with 3 Ks.

Game 2: 4-2 W. WP-Gau (1-0). S-Fairbanks (2). Starter-Chirinos (6 4 2 2 0 3). A 3-run rally in the 8th won it for the Rays with RBI singles from Curtis Mead (off the bench) and Rene Pinto tying it and winning it.

Game 3: 1-4 L. LP-McClanahan (1-1, 5 7 4 4 2 8). HR-Soto (3). The Rays were dominated by Chicago's Michael Kopech to the tune of 6.1 4 1 1 1 11 with Soto's homer all they could manage.

Team record: 4-2. Next up: An off-day then our first road series of the season with 3 in Texas.

Team news: Isaac Paredes and Jason Adam both cleared waivers and are off to Durham.

April 9-11, 2024: at Texas (3)
 

Game 1: 6-9 L. LP-Baz (0-1, 3.2 5 7 7 3 5). HR-Bregman (3), Soto 2 (5). Rays were up 5-0 on Bregman's 3-run shot and Soto's solo blast and Baz was dominant through 3 then couldn't get anyone out in the 4th, giving up a slam then a couple more runners and JP Sears let those score and it was 8-5 Texas, and that was it.

Transaction: JP Sears has been downright horrible, so he's off to Durham and we purchased the contract of hard-throwing lefty Jovani Moran. Moran walked 8 and fanned 7 in 4 innings with us last year but he struck out the side in a perfect 9th to save Durham's season opener so maybe he has the control under control.

Game 2: 8-4 W. WP-Swanda (1-0). Starter-Patino (4 8 3 3 2 4). HR-Soto (6), Albies (4). Rays turned the tables after yesterday as Texas jumped out to a 3-0 lead off Patino before the Rays stormed back. Soto was 3-3 with the homer and 2 walks and is basically unretireable to start the year (520/676/1240). Albies drove in 3 and Wander was 3-6 with 2 doubles, a triple and 2 RBI as the top 3 in the order combined to go 8-13 with 2 HR and 7 RBI.

Game 3: 15-6 W. WP-Rasmussen (2-0, 5.1 5 5 4 0 4). HR-Franco (1), Arozarena (3), Vaughn (1). The ball is certainly juiced this year and I finally checked the league modifiers and HRs at 1.17(!). It says you can't re-calc but I reduced HRs to 1.03; it should take hold since I've been able to adjust pitcher stamina in other seasons when guys came out of the gate throwing 120 pitches. Anyway in this game Vaughn was 4-5 with the homer & 4 RBI, Arozarena's homer was a slam, Wander was 3-6 with 2 RBI and Soto was 3-6. Everyone in the lineup had a hit as we banged out 19. Rasmussen shut out Texas through 5 before suddenly losing it in the 6th and Jovani Moran promptly came in and walked 3 in 2/3 of an inning so he's obviously not over his control issues.

Team record: 6-3. Next up: Back home for 3 vs Kansas City. The Yankees are in first off to an 8-2 start.

MLB News: Oft-injured Dodger starter Julio Urias, who only pitched in 5 games last year, is injured again with a strained shoulder and will have to wait at least 3 more weeks to make his 2024 debut.

Minor news: Durham opened its season with a 3-1 win behind a 14-whiff, 7-inning outing from Calvin Faucher. He's rated 50/65/40 but whiffed 138 in 117 IP last year at Durham mostly as a starter. He's a little down the line of guys I'd call up but he's got my attention. Taj Bradley started their third game and went 6 5 3 3 1 8 with a homer allowed to former Rays flop Yoshi Tstutsugo of all people.

April 12-14, 2024: vs Kansas City (3)
 

Game 1: 3-0 W. WP-Chirinos (7 3 0 0 0 3). S-Fairbanks (4). HR-Franco (2). Chirinos was dealing, Wander's homer was big and Josh Naylor had his best game as a Ray, doubling ahead of the Franco homer and singling in the 3rd run.

Game 2: 7-6 W. WP-McClanahan (2-1, 6 6 2 1 2 8). S-Swanda (1). HR-Soto (7), Albies 2 (6). The new stars supplied the offense again and Albies' 2nd homer (and 5th RBI of the day as he hit an earlier slam) in the 8th was necessary as a 5-0 romp turned into a 7-6 nail-biter. Swanda got the save despite allowing a 2-run homer in the 9th after Fairbanks was called on in the 8th and had to leave with a calf strain (thankfully a game-day injury only).

Game 3: 10-1 W. WP-Baz (1-1, 8 2 1 1 0 5). HR-Soto (8), Albies 2 (8). Not sure what was the bigger story today in the sweep of a Royals team which came in 8-2: Baz, who took a perfect game into the 8th before Nick Pratto led off the inning with a homer, or Albies, who hit 2 more homers today and drove in 3 more, or Soto who homered yet again himself. Albies and Soto each have a ridiculous 8 homers in the season's first 12 games - here are the absurd video game numbers the pair is putting up so far:

https://i.imgur.com/zp0phJ0.png

they don't bother with doubles or triples, just dingers.

Team record: 9-3. Despite the sweep they gained no ground on the Yankees, who did likewise to Houston to go to 11-2. Next up: The Rays will get to do something about that as those Yankees visit for 4 games as we have a very home-loaded early schedule.

MLB News: Soto was unsurprisingly named AL Player of the Week.

Minors news: In the last post I said that after a 14-K season debut Durham's Calvin Faucher had my attention, and unfortunately he grabbed my attention again when he stretched an elbow ligament in his second start and is done for the year. Meanwhile Jeferson Morales, a C/OF whose best position is DH, has started the year 10-15 with 2 homers. Morales was acquired from Minnesota a couple of years ago for JT Chargois. Also Andrew Kittredge has begun a rehab assignment.

April 15-18, 2024: vs NY Yankees (4)
 

Transaction: Claimed P Chase Lee on waivers from Texas and optioned him to AAA Durham.

Lee is a groundballer with 55/65/50 ratings and looks like some good middle relief depth. We had a 40-man spot open so we grabbed him and sent him Durham as he had an option left.

Game 1: 4-0 W. WP-Patino (1-0, 5.1 2 0 0 3 10). HR-W.Franco (3), J.Naylor (1). Patino was brilliant and so was the pen while Josh Naylor had a 2-run homer and an RBI double in his biggest Rays game yet.

Game 2: 5-2 W. WP-Swanda (2-0). S-Fairbanks (4). Starter-Rasmussen (2 1 1 1 2 3). HR-Arozarena (4), Vaughn (2). Rasmussen left with a shoulder strain after 2 so it turned into a bullpen day with the best performance from Forrest Whitley (3 1 0 0 0 5) who came in after Swanda. Juan Soto was 3-4 with an RBI.

Transaction: Rasmussen went on the IL with the shoulder strain although it's not too serious. Chase Lee was recalled from Durham and John Swanda will probably get the start in Rasmussen's place next time through.

Game 3: 6-5 W. WP-Moran (1-0). S-Springs (2). Starter-Chirinos (5.2 7 5 5 2 3). Left Yonny in one batter too long and he gave up a bases-clearing double to put the Rays behind 5-2 in the 6th but they rallied for 4 in the 7th to make it three straight over the Yanks. Vaughn had an RBI single to make it 5-4, Vazquez's bases-loaded walk tied it and the winner scored on a wild pitch. Bregman drove in a pair earlier and Wander was 3-5 with a pair of doubles and an RBI.

Game 4: 4-3 W. WP-Moran (2-0). S-Fairbanks (5). Starter-McClanahan (5.1 7 3 3 1 7). HR-Albies (9). Gerrit Cole held the Rays in check after giving up a 2-run shot to Albies in the 1st, but they finally got to him for a pair in the 8th to pull out the win and complete a 4-game sweep of the Yankees, extending their win streak to 9 in the process. Albies came through again with an RBI double to tie it and Vaughn singled him home for the decider. The new acquisition now has 9 HR and 22 RBI in only 15 games (he had to rest yesterday). Jovani Moran retired all 4 he faced for his 2nd win in as many days, striking out 3 of them.

Team record: 13-3, now suddenly 2 1/2 up on the Yankees. Next up: Our ridiculously front-loaded home schedule continues with the Angels visiting for 3. Also based on OOTP's preseason predictions I guess this means we're going 56-90 the rest of the way.

April 19-21, 2024: vs LA Angels (3)
 

Game 1: 4-0 W. WP-Baz (2-1, 6 2 0 0 3 10). HR-Arozarena (5), Bregman (4). Second dominant outing in a row from Baz and Arozarena led the game off with a homer.

Game 2: 1-6 L. LP-Patino (1-1, 4.2 9 6 6 0 6). Patino was pounded and the Rays were held to three hits and an unearned run by old friend Ryan Yarbrough and a pair of relievers as their 10-game win streak came to a halt.

Game 3: 6-1 W. WP-Scott (2-0). Starter-Swanda (4.2 2 0 0 4 8). Swanda was overpowering in his first start but left a 0-0 game in the 5th with 86 pitches thrown, two on and Shohei Ohtani due, whom Tanner Scott whiffed to end the threat and then the Rays scored 5 times in the bottom of the inning with Andrew Vaughn's 2-run single the big hit. Christian Vazquez was 3-3 with a double and RBI.

Team record: 15-4, still 2 1/2 up on the Yankees who took 2 of 3 from the White Sox. Next up: Some actual road games as we head to Fenway for 3.

Team notes: The unconscious duo of Albies and Soto woke up this weekend as the former was 0-10 with an RBI and the latter 0-9 with two walks. It was a good sign to see the team take 2 of 3 without their contributions.

April 22-24, 2024: at Boston (3)
 

Transaction: Andrew Kittredge was activated from his rehab and Chase Lee was sent back to Durham.

Game 1: 11-12 L (10). LP-Fairbanks (0-1). Starter-Chirinos (2 9 8 8 2 3). HR-Bregman (5), Soto (9), Arozarena (6), Albies (10). What a bizarre game this was. Rays scored twice in the first, Boston answered with 5, Rays then scored 9(!) in the 2nd to go up 11-5, then stopped scoring the rest of way. Boston got 3 back in the 3rd then chipped away until winning it in the 10th.

Game 2: 16-6 W. WP-McClanahan (3-1, 5 9 6 6 2 4). HR-Arozarena (7), Pinto 2 (2), Bregman (6), W.Franco (4). This wild series continued with the Rays putting 14 on the board by the 4th including a grand slam from Pinto who also added a 2-run shot. Bregman and Arozarena drove in 3 as well including their homers. Mac wasn't that good, but the pen settled the game down with 2 scoreless from Moran and Gau. Boston had 3 pitchers leave the game injured with Jake Newberry tearing his UCL and Kyle Hendricks out 4-5 months with a torn back muscle. A dark night for the Sox.

Game 3: 8-4 W. WP-Springs (1-0). Starter-Baz (5 6 2 2 1 6). HR-J.Jackson (1), Mead (2). Finally a baseball score instead of a football score in this series. Kittredge has not been sharp in either of his appearances since coming back and today he cost Baz a win, allowing Boston to tie in the 6th. But a bases-loaded walk to Soto brought home the winner and Curtis Mead drove in 4 with 2 sac flies and a 2-run shot in a game which also saw Jeremiah Jackson hit his first MLB homer (he's still only 3 for 33 on the season).

Team record: 17-5. Guys, something tells me we're not going 69-93. Still 1 1/2 up on the Yanks who took 2 of 3 from Miami. Next up: Back home again for 3 vs Toronto before we finally go on a bonafide road trip.

MLB News: In a dog-bites-man story, Minnesota's Byron Buxton is out 6 weeks with a strained hamstring.

April 26-28, 2024: vs Toronto (3)
 

Game 1: 19-6 W. WP-Patino (2-1, 5 7 5 5 1 4). HR-J.Lowe (1). Another football score thanks to 12 walks from Jays pitchers and 14 Rays hits. Wander drew 4 of the walks, Soto drove in 5 with a bases-clearing double and two bases-loaded walks while Bregman and Mead each knocked in 3.

Game 2: 3-8 L. LP-Swanda (2-1, 3.2 4 2 1 4 4). It took Swanda 94 pitches to put up that line as a 4-3 game got away in the 9th when Feyereisen gave up 4 runs and walked 4. Wander and Vazquez each had 2 hits and a ribbie.

Game 3: 6-0 W. WP-Chirinos (2-0, 6.2 5 0 0 1 6). Finally a well-pitched start. Albies knocked in 4 with a double, groundout, and 2-run single and Wander stayed hot going 3-5 with a double and an RBI.

Team record: 19-6, status quo 2 1/2 up on the Yankees who took 2 of 3 from Baltimore. Next up: Our road schedule finally begins in earnest as we head to the west coast to face the Angels for the first 3 of a 10-game road trip.

Some semi-big news:

https://i.imgur.com/QvIaQTF.png

Certainly not an integral piece to our championship puzzle in 2024 as Rodon is out for the season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but a low-price gamble for 2025. He supposedly has 60 stuff but we'll see how that goes in the spring.

MLB News: A couple of starting pitchers are done for the year and will be joining Rodon as TJS patients: San Francisco's ace Logan Webb and Arizona's Jordan Montgomery.

April 30-May 2, 2024: at LA Angels (3)
 

Game 1: 4-2 W. WP-McClanahan (4-1, 7 4 2 2 0 7). S-Fairbanks (6). HR-W.Franco (5), Bregman (7). Mac was sharp and the early homers gave them a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Game 2: 2-7 L. LP-Baz (2-2, 4 8 6 6 0 3). Baz allowed 4 homers and has now yielded 9 in only 31 innings this season, amazing for a guy rated 65 for movement. Arozarena was 2-4 with an RBI double.

Game 3: 4-5 L. LP-Patino (2-2, 4 7 4 4 3 6). HR-Arozarena (8), Soto (10). A late rally couldn't overcome another poor outing from a starter as they Rays were beaten for the second time this year by former teammate Ryan Yarbrough.

Team record: 20-8, now only up 1/2 game on the Yankees who swept Houston. Next up: Our trip out west continues with 3 in Oakland.

News and notes: Drew Rasmussen was sent on a rehab assignment to Durham. He was only out 3 weeks so one start should suffice. Also from the farm:

https://i.imgur.com/yxEs1B6.png

Joshua Mears has picked up in 2024 where he left off in 2023 when he was the Southern League MVP and might have been our RF had we not traded for Juan Soto. Instead he'll likely fill that slot in 2025 when Soto becomes a free agent.

MLB News: Atlanta's Nestor Cortes is done for the season with a torn flexor tendon although his news isn't as bad as that for once highly-regarded pitching prospect Owen White, whose career is over. White, ranked in the Top 100 last year, suffered a torn rotator cuff after going to Toronto in a trade with Texas and had multiple setbacks culminating in today's sad determination.

Monthly Awards time. Players of the Month: AL-our own Juan Soto, .333-9-28; NL-Bryce Harper (PHI) .323-11-24. Pitchers of the Month: AL-Juan Geraldo (DET) who somehow managed to go 5-1 with 10 saves in April, figuring in practically every Tiger victory as they're 19-9. NL-Deivi Garcia (ARI), 5-1, 2.75.

May 3-5, 2024: at Oakland (3)
 

Game 1: 1-0 W. WP-Swanda (3-1, 5 4 0 0 1 6). S-Fairbanks (7). A low-scoring game for a change as Ozzie Albies' sac fly in the 5th held up the whole way with four relievers each pitching a scoreless inning.

Game 2: 10-8 W. WP-Springs (2-0). S-Fairbanks (8). Starter-Chirinos (4 8 5 4 0 3). HR-Vaughn (3), Arozarena (9). And we go 180 degrees with a wild slugfest which saw Arozarena win it with a 3-run homer with 2 out in the 9th right after hope looked lost when Wander was thrown out at the plate trying to tie it. Arozarena was 4-5 with the homer and 4 RBI while Vaughn drove in 5 with a 2-run double and a 3-run homer.

Game 3: 3-2 W. WP-McClanahan (5-1, 6 3 2 0 2 5). S-Feyereisen (1). HR-Franco (6). We complete the sweep thanks a 2-run Wander homer in the 6th to make it 3-2. Arozarena doubled in the other run and we now have the top 3 in WAR in the AL with Arozarena (1.9), Soto (1.9) and Wander (1.8).

Team record: 23-8. We finally gained ground on the Yankees, who dropped a couple of tough 1-run games to the Angels so the division lead is back up to 2 1/2. But that's subject to change as next up we visit Yankee Stadium for 4 games.

MLB News: The Guardians and White Sox made an interesting deal as Cleveland sent starter Triston McKenzie to Chicago for Cuban defector OF Oscar Colas. On the North side of town the Cubs' Xander Bogaerts will miss an additional 3-4 weeks with an oblique strain.

May 6-9, 2024: at NY Yankees (4)
 

Game 1: 3-4 L (10). LP-Fairbanks (0-2). Starter-Baz (5 7 0 0 3 4). HR-W.Franco (7), Albies (11). The Rays cheated death throughout this game as the Yankees left 15 on base and trailed Tampa Bay 3-1 after 8. But like the movie Final Destination, death still claimed its due and Fairbanks gave up a pair in the 9th and one more in the 10th (which Jovani Moran wild-pitched home on his first offering). The blown save ended a streak of 21 straight saves going back to last season for Fairbanks.

Game 2: 3-5 L. LP-Patino (2-3, 4.2 7 2 2 0 7). HR-Bregman (8), W.Franco (8). The two late homers made the score respectable but the Rays were shut down before that by new Yankee ace Jacob deGrom, finally back from injury. Juan Soto's 31-game on-base streak came to an end when he flew out pinch-hitting late in the game having needed a rest.

Transaction: Optioned Jovani Moran to Durham, activated Drew Rasmussen from his rehab assignment. For now Rasmussen is going to the bullpen as we're going to stick with John Swanda in the rotation.

Game 3: 8-4 W. WP-Swanda (4-1, 5 7 2 2 0 3). HR-J.Lowe (2). A Kyle Schwarber error opened the door for 4 Rays runs in the 2nd including a bases-clearing double from Wander and then they added 4 more in the 3rd including Lowe's 3-run jack. Swanda was inefficient again (100 pitches to get through 5) but is now 4-1, 2.45.

We made a trade!

https://i.imgur.com/2yBc59D.png

Swung a deal with the division rival Red Sox to acquire one of the best lefty relievers in the league the last couple of seasons in Taylor. He saved 41 games with a 2.23 ERA and 2.0 WAR for Boston and had 7 saves already this season. I needed a good third lefty to go with Tanner Scott and Springs, who have been excellent this year. Jovani Moran was not the answer. And the price was right - Boston is picking up most of his salary and Joc Pedersen probably wasn't going to figure in our plans this year and was likely to be stuck at Durham. Taylor's projected to earn $8.5M in arbitration next year so he'll likely be dealt or non-tendered. But we're obviously all-in this year. To make room for Taylor on the active roster we sent Drew Rasmussen back down to Durham, a raw deal for him but he had an option and looked terrible in his return last night (2 runs on 4 hits in 2/3 of an inning in relief of Swanda).

Game 4: 1-0 W. WP-Chirinos (3-0, 6 5 0 0 1 6). S-Fairbanks (9). HR-Bregman (9). Yonny was outstanding although I made the right move taking him out after only 71 pitches as the Yanks got a pair of hits in the 6th he had to pitch around and two lefties were due in the 7th. New acquisition Josh Taylor pitched a scoreless 8th and Bregman's 4th-inning homer stood up as we managed a split to stay 2 1/2 up on New York in the division.

Team record: 25-10. Next up: After our longest road trip of the season we head back home for 3 against in-state rivals Miami.

May 10-12, 2024: vs Miami (3)
 

Game 1: 0-5 L (14). LP-Springs (2-1). Starter-McClanahan (6 6 0 0 1 8). The offense, which couldn't be stopped until recently, suddenly can't score runs as they blew several chances in extras to win it before Miami unloaded for 5 keyed by a Vaughn error. And not only that but we lost Wander Franco to a herniated disc in his back and he'll miss a month.

Transaction: Wander goes on the IL and Royce Lewis is called up from Durham. Jeremiah Jackson, hitting a buck (just a buck, not a buck-something) will take over as the starting SS.

Game 2: 4-2 W. WP-Baz (3-2, 7.1 6 2 2 1 5). S-Kittredge (1). HR-J.Naylor (2). Baz was great (except for two solo homers, now giving him 11 allowed in 43 IP) and Jeremiah Jackson came through in his first game starting for Wander by delivering a bases-clearing double in the 6th to break a 1-1 tie.

Game 3: 5-4 W. WP-Taylor (1-0). S-Fairbanks (10). Starter-Patino (4.1 4 2 2 3 8). HR-Bregman (10). Juan Soto's RBI double in the 8th brought home the winner as the Rays came back from 2-0 and 4-2 deficits. They escaped in the 9th when Josh Taylor stayed on with two lefties due to start the inning but he put them both on. Fairbanks came in and gave up a single but Arozarena threw the runner out at the plate and Fairbanks whiffed the next two to end it.

Team record: 27-11. The Yankees never lose these days unless it's to us, so they're now within 1 1/2 of the division lead. Next up: We play the other New York team, the Mets, at CitiField for 3. They're off to a mediocre start at 18-20.

MLB News: Take a bow, Corbin Burnes:

https://i.imgur.com/YAVZkSV.png

Burnes had to be impressive as he only received one run of support, and he pitched a Maddux in the process, doing it on only 98 pitches. In fact he managed the rare feat of a 100+ Game Score (101 in this case) on fewer than 100 pitches. What a performance.

Injuries: The Cubs' Nick Madrigal is done for the year with a broken kneecap, Atlanta's catcher Sean Murphy is done likewise with a broken bone in his elbow, and Miami's Max Meyer, who started the first game of the series against us, tore his flexor tendon and is done until late next season.

May 13-15, 2024: at NY Mets (3)
 

Game 1: 3-2 W. WP-Springs (3-1). S-Feyereisen (2). Starter-Swanda (6 5 2 2 3 3). For the second time in three games Jeremiah Jackson got the winning hit as his 9th-inning single broke a 2-2 tie after Alex Bregman's singled evened it up in the 8th.

Transaction: Andrew Kittredge had to leave last night's game with shoulder inflammation which will keep him out a week so he'll miss two on the 15-day IL. Relief prospect Colby White, who's had a ton of saves in the system, gets the call for the first time.

Game 2: 1-6 L. LP-Chirinos (3-1, 2.1 6 6 5 2 2). HR-J.Jackson (2). Yonny was terrible as he's alternated 0 run outings with shellings the last five starts but somehow this was his first loss. Tylor Megill dominated the Rays, fanning 11 in 5 1/3 innings.

Game 3: 2-3 L (13). LP-White (0-1). Starter-McClanahan (6 5 2 1 1 7). HR-Soto (11). The offense has gone into a funk of late and as a result another great start from Mac was wasted. Colby White made his MLB debut in the 13th, Ozzie Albies made an error behind him, he gave up a hit, then wild-pitched the men to 2nd and 3rd and lost it on a sac fly.

Team record: 28-13. The Yankees were finally beaten in their finale 1-0 by Atlanta so the division lead is down to 1/2 game. Next up: That Atlanta squad comes to the Trop for 3 games after a day off as Ozzie Albies and Taylor Walls get to see their old teammates.

May 17-19, 2024: vs Atlanta (3)
 

Game 1: 3-9 L. LP-Baz (3.1 6 6 4 4 4). HR-Bregman (11). Not sure how a pitcher rated 65/65/60 can be so bad but Baz has so far this season with a 5.01 ERA and a negative WAR.

Game 2: 4-3 W. WP-Patino (3-3, 6 4 2 2 2 5). S-Fairbanks (11). Good start from Patino for a change while Arozarena (3 hits, RBI) and Zach DeLoach (2 hits, RBI) led the offense.

Game 3: 4-1 W. WP-Swanda (5-1, 5 4 1 1 3 5). S-Fairbanks (12). HR-Soto (12). Swanda continues to impress (2.45 ERA) even though his inefficiency has limited him to 5-inning outings (91 pitches today). Soto's 2-run homer off Max Fried in the first was all they ended up needing.

Team record: 30-14. The Yankees dropped 2 of 3 to the crosstown rival Mets (just like we did), so the division lead is back up to 1 1/2 games. Next up: Boston visits the Trop for 4 games.

Minor league notes: OF Josh Mears (282/346/585 with 9 HR) and 3B Casey Schmitt (324/377/561 with 7 HR) are raking at Durham and proving their outstanding 2023 seasons were no flukes. They're projected to be next year's Soto and Bregman replacements but they might force their way into the DH discussion (Mears would send Soto to DH and play RF) as the platoon of Josh Naylor (194/287/355) and Curtis Mead (262/313/369) aren't getting it done. We have no real investment in Naylor, who was picked up on waivers at the end of last season, and while Mead's still considered a good hitting prospect he has 3 options left. Stay tuned. Also Drew Rasmussen has looked outstanding in his two starts for Durham since being demoted and if Yonny Chirinos puts up another stinker D-Ras could be back.

May 20-23, 2024: vs Boston (4)
 

Game 1: 3-2 W. WP-Chirinos (4-1, 5.1 5 1 1 1 6). S-Taylor (1/8). HR-Soto (13). Yonny continued his pattern of horrible start followed by great start so he keeps his rotation spot for now. Jeremiah Jackson was 2-3 with an RBI and a walk, and Josh Taylor picked up his first Rays save despite giving up a homer to the guy he was traded for, Joc Pederson.

Game 2: 6-4 W. WP-McClanahan (6-1, 5.2 4 4 4 2 4). S-Fairbanks (13). HR-Mead 2 (4). It was the Curtis Mead show as the DH was 4-5 with the two homers and 3 RBI. Mac nearly lost a 5-0 lead but the pen held on and Royce Lewis was 3-4 with a steal and an RBI double in a rare start as Albies needed rest.

Game 3: 2-1 W (10). WP-Scott (3-0). Starter-Baz (7 2 0 0 1 5). Jeffrey Springs blew a 1-0 lead with 2 out in the 9th but last night's hero Mead picked him up with an RBI double in the 10th to win it as Baz had his best start of the season.

Game 4: 11-1 W. WP-Patino (4-3, 6 6 1 1 2 5). S-White (1). HR-Arozarena (10). The Rays have the best record in MLB but all their wins of late have been nail-biters - until today. The rout was the first game they've won by more than three runs since May 8 after having won the previous 9 narrowly. Arozarena was 3-5 with the homer and 2 RBI while Christian Vazquez had a bases-clearing double and Alex Bregman a 2-run single in an 8-run 5th which broke it open. Colby White got his first MLB save going the final 3 innings allowing only one hit while whiffing 3.

Team record: 34-14. We gained ground on the Yankees but it was only the minimum one game as New York took 3 of 4 from Baltimore, so the lead is now 2 1/2 games. Next up: 3 games in Houston. The Astros are off to the most miserable of starts, an MLB-worst 14-35 record which is almost the inverse of ours.

MLB News: Mike Trout hit his 400th homer and the oft-injured Julio Urias is hurt again as the Dodger lefty will be out 3 months with elbow inflammation. The Pirates signed free agent 2B/3B Mike Moustakas to a 1-year, pro-rated $3.5M deal.

May 24-26, 2024: at Houston (3)
 

Game 1: 4-7 L. LP-Swanda (5-2, 3.2 7 6 6 3 3). HR-R.Lewis (1), Bregman (12). Swanda's profligacy with baserunners finally caught up to him, allowing a grand slam to former Ray Mike Zunino immediately after Royce Lewis put them up 3-0 with his first Rays homer.

Game 2: 5-6 L (15). LP-McClanahan (6-2). Starter-Chirinos (5.2 7 2 2 1 3). HR-DeLoach (1). Ugh, what a nightmare. Rays were up 4-2 when Feyereisen let in a run in the 8th and then Fairbanks blew the save giving up a homer in the 9th. They went up 5-4 in the 14th only for Tanner Scott to give up a run, and then after the entire pen was burned through Mac had to come in and gave up Jake Meyers' 2nd homer of the game (he tied it off Fairbanks) to lose it in the 15th.

Transaction: We needed a starter for the finale since Mac was used in relief the day before so JP Sears was called up. He'd pitched well at Durham (4-2, 2.17 in 7 starts) after being horrible for us in the first couple of weeks. Colby White, who pitched two scoreless yesterday and had an impressive 1/7 BB/K ratio in 7.1 innings with only one run allowed, was sacrificed to Durham.

Game 3: 6-7 L. LP-Fairbanks (0-3). Starter-Sears (4 7 4 4 2 4). HR-Arozarena (11), Bregman (13), Mead (5). What a nightmare - not sure what was worse, being swept by a 14-35 team or blowing multiple leads for the second straight day to that 14-35 team. Despite a horrible start from Sears - who was just as bad as we remembered him from early in the season - they overcame that to take a 5-4 lead in the 8th on a 2-run Mead homer. Feyereisen blew it again, allowing them to tie it on another Zunino homer, and then after they went back ahead 6-5 on Bregman's 3rd RBI hit of the day, Fairbanks blew it again as well allowing a 2-run Yordan Alvarez walk-off shot.

Team record: 34-17. I suppose this sweep was regression at work since Houston isn't a .286 team nor were we really a .708 team. In any event matters were compounded when the Yankees took 2 of 3 from Detroit so the lead is back down to 1/2 game. Next up: 3 games in Cleveland beginning with a Memorial Day affair.

MLB News: Texas shipped Mike Clevinger to Milwaukee for a pitching prospect.

May 27-29, 2024: at Cleveland (3)
 

Game 1: 2-3 L. LP-Springs (3-2). Starter-Baz (5 1 0 0 0 7). HR-J.Jackson (3). The bullpen blows it for the third straight day as Springs gave up 3 in the 8th to lose a 2-0 lead. And to add injury to insult Baz had to leave after 5 while pitching his best game of the season thanks to a shoulder strain, which will sideline him 5 weeks.

Transaction: Baz goes on the 15-day IL and Chase Lee is called back up.

Game 2: 2-6 L. LP-Patino (4-4, 3.1 9 6 6 1 2). Make it 5 straight losses after Patino and the offense were terrible tonight.

Transaction: Chase Lee goes back down after giving us some innings as does JP Sears. Andrew Kittredge is activated from the IL and Drew Rasmussen is called up to take Baz's place in the rotation. Rasmussen pitched a shutout in his last Durham start.

Game 3: 1-2 L. LP-McClanahan (6-3, 7 5 2 2 0 6). Another game lost late when Mac gave up a 2-run homer to Jose Ramirez in the 7th, but when you score 5 runs in total over 3 games you can expect to be swept and he pitched his heart out. Wander can't come back soon enough (he's still out another 2 weeks).

Team record: 34-20. The Yankees took 2 of 3 so we're now 1 1/2 games behind them in the division. Next up: An off-day then the road trip continues with 3 at Kansas City.

MLB News: The Yankees traded a couple of prospects to Baltimore for starter Tyler Wells, as if they needed to get better.

May 31-June 2, 2024: at Kansas City (3)
 

Game 1: 1-5 L. LP-Rasmussen (2-1, 4.2 6 5 5 2 5). This team is playing some really bad baseball right now as they dropped their 7th straight on the road trip. Rasmussen's return to the rotation was not what he or I had hoped for.

Game 2: 7-12 L. LP-Swanda (5-3, 3 7 8 6 4 1). HR-J.Jackson (4). Well at least they scored some runs.

Game 3: 7-5 W. WP-Chirinos (5-1, 5 6 2 2 1 2). S-Scott (1). A win! Stop the presses! It should have been an easy win too as they were up 7-3 going to the 9th but Pete Fairbanks, who admittedly hasn't pitched much lately given the 8-game losing streak, was horrible in the 9th, loading the bases with nobody out, letting in a run and having to be taken out for Tanner Scott who mercifully got us out of it. Ozzie Albies, whose average had dropped to .233 after his ridiculous start, was 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI to lead the offense.

Team record: 35-22. Thankfully the Yankees also dropped 2 of 3 to Cleveland so we're still 1 1/2 back in the division. Next up: Our interminable road trip continues with 4 in Toronto before we finally return home.

Things had gotten so bad after Friday's loss that we shook things up with a trade and brought an old favorite home:

https://i.imgur.com/OX6GAV1.png

As I had hinted at earlier Josh Naylor's days were numbered and he had lost his job to Curtis Mead who took over as the full-time DH. Mead is staying in the lineup as the full-time 1B as Meadows will now platoon in LF with Andrew Vaughn who was down to 247/341/363, Randy Arozarena is moving to RF and the defensively-challenged Juan Soto is now the DH. Meadows was hitting 264/343/473 with 10 HR and 33 RBI in 48 games for Texas and drove in runs in each of his first two games with the Rays this weekend. The price was right since Texas is picking up his entire contract, which expires at the end of this season and therefore we're not wed to Meadows if he doesn't produce. I'm still thinking we see Joshua Mears before long but not too soon as I want the Super 2 deadline to pass.

MLB Players of the Month: AL-Shohei Ohtani (LAA), .344-9-19 (1-1, 4.39 as a starter); NL-Teoscar Hernandez (ARI), .351-8-27.

MLB Pitchers of the Month: AL-Shane Bieber (CLE), 5-0, 2.82; NL-Huascar Ynoa (PHI), 4-0, 0.76.

MLB News: Houston, which has won 9 straight starting with 3 against us at the beginning of our road trip, will be without star SS Carlos Correa for 4-5 weeks due to a severely strained hip muscle.