Once again our quest for a ring came up short as this is the one long-running Rays save I've yet to break through with. For 2032 most of the high-powered offense returns but we're going to have some issues with the pitching. The following significant players will be free agents:
Jackson Chourio, Ryan Pepiot (who opted out of the last year of his deal),
Ricky Tiedemann, Jose Alvarado, and
Ben Joyce. With those guys gone, we're looking at the following salary obligations:
This group adds up to about $163M in payroll and Stu Sternberg has given us $180M so not a lot of breathing room unless we move some of these guys.
The position-by-position outlook:
Catcher: There's no question
Kyle Teel was an improvement over
Zion Rose after the former came over at the deadline. The question is it an improvement worth paying $14M for next season? That would be the biggest chunk of salary we could free up for say, a starting pitcher. Stay tuned. If Teel goes, Rose gets another crack at starter and
Cade Arrambide is back as the backup.
First Base: Mike Brown returns.
Second Base:
Owen Paino is back, and his likely platoon-mate and backup MI is righty-hitting
Bryce Clavon although
Luis Almeyda is still around as well.
Shortstop: Cody Schrier had a great season (4.2 WAR) last year and the job is his, although it will cost us more.
Third Base: Fernando Tatis Jr. made the transition back to the dirt with aplomb last year and there's no need to change that (unless we're somehow able to grab a high-quality 3B and move him back to fill the Chourio hole)
Infield: As mentioned Clavon looks like the backup but Almeyda and the fallen
Ethan Holliday are still around.
Left Field: We can't afford to bring Chourio back (although we'll make him the $24.4M qualifying offer to get a pick and hope he doesn't take it). So for now the plan is to do what we did in playoffs while Chourio was injured: platoon
Brailer Guerrero and
Mason Auer.
Dean Moss, who hit 35 HR at AAA last year and has MLB-ready power, could get a look as well.
Center Field: Subaru Nakashima was an instant hit coming over from Japan and will man the position for the foreseeable future.
Right Field: Ben Schmidt was a great acquisition and also should be patrolling our outfield for years to come.
Outfield: Auer is the main backup here and Tatis and Rosa can also fill in.
DH: Jeffry Rosa is the incumbent and a backup OF but he disappointed last year, hitting .228 and striking out 228 times (I wonder how often anyone has pulled off that identical-number combo in the past) while hitting 6 fewer homes in 199 more AB. And now he's due to make $6M in arbitration so I might considering moving him depending on what I could replace him with.
Rotation: Here's where the big hits take place as we lose both Tiedemann and Pepiot and weren't that deep to begin with.
Emiliano Teodo, Aaron Ashby and
Garrett Lambert return so that's a start. Chang-hyoek Kim, exiled to Durham last year, has the inside track on the 4th spot but there's no clear plan for #5 so we'll probably have to acquire a starter. Brock Porter, picked up on waivers and used in the pen, is capable of starting although he's a 40 stamina guy. Closer
Norge Vera is also capable of starting but we'll leave him where he is.
Bullpen: We'll miss Alvarado as the top lefty but still have
Magdiel Cotto and
Geudis Ramos from the port side. Vera returns to close and the likes of
Yeuris Jimenez, Fernando Perez, Fernando Costume and
Juan Nunez are back as well. One more arm can't hurt though but it's not going to be a key priority. Former closer
Matthew Peguero will be non-tendered so that frees up $4.5M.
Prospects: No immediate help other than perhaps Moss.
The to-do list in order of priority:
1) Find a starting pitcher or two
2) Clear some salary by dealing Teel and/or Rosa
3) Possibly improve on the Guerrero/Auer platoon in LF
4) Add a bullpen arm or catcher to job-share with Rose