Rays have different look but same warning label: ‘Be careful with us’
ST. PETERSBURG — With a trade for backup catcher Ben Rortvedt and words of congratulations to prospect Austin Shenton, the Rays on Wednesday made the final decisions to set the roster with which they will start the 2024 season.
The 26-man list is massively changed from last year, with 15 players who weren’t with them then, including three who are expected to be in the starting lineup for Thursday’s opener against the Blue Jays.
It also is somewhat different from how it looked just six-plus weeks ago when camp opened in Port Charlotte. The unexpected signing of veteran Amed Rosario, the Rortvedt trade and spring injuries to four players led to a half-dozen other changes.
But it is a group the Rays insist they still feel strongly about, confident that between who they have now and those returning from injuries during the season they will compete and contend for a sixth straight trip to the postseason.
“It’s going to be a fun year, and everybody’s excited,” top starter Zach Eflin said Wednesday. “Once again, we’re going to go into the season probably with expectations that people aren’t going to think we’re good.
“But we’re going to be very good. So, we’re ready to get going.”
Or, as catcher Rene Pinto said, “Be careful with us.”
If the Rays are going to be as good as they think — some experts, computer projections and betting lines peg them as an 84-85 win team that misses the playoffs — they will have to answer questions all around the field, with the veteran-laden bullpen arguably the clear strength on a team with a franchise-high payroll in excess of $90 million.
While the rotation looks the most different, with Eflin the only starter who was even in the organization for last year’s opener, the biggest early questions may be about the lineup.
Injuries to Josh Lowe and Jonathan Aranda cost the Rays two of the three left-handed hitters they were counting on to play regularly against right-handed pitchers. (And that’s in addition to being without two of their other more productive left-handed bats from last year, with Wander Franco sidelined by legal issues in the Dominican Republic and Luke Raley traded.)
“There’s no doubt that we’re missing two really big bats in Josh and Jonny,” manager Kevin Cash said. “It’s going to present some opportunities for other guys, but we need those guys back. For us to be the offense that we are capable of being, they’re a big part of it.”
Until they return, likely not until May, the Rays will have to try to make do.
The initial plan is to put their returning potent lefty, Brandon Lowe, in the No. 2 spot in the order; use another, newcomer Richie Palacios (who has a .244 average in 205 big-league at-bats with Cleveland and St. Louis), toward the bottom of the order; and give more at-bats vs. right-handers to veteran righty swingers Harold Ramirez and Rosario than ideally planned.
Shenton, a lefty swinger with only 219 at-bat as high as Triple A, could get a few spot starts. So, likely, will Rortvedt, who has a career .146 big-league average. Curtis Mead is the other reserve.
In other words, they will have to count heavily on hot starts by their top returning proven offensive players — American League batting champ Yandy Diaz, healthy-again Brandon Lowe, All-Star Randy Arozarena, Ramirez and Isaac Paredes — and hope for more from Jose Siri (40 extra-base hits, 35 singles last year), new shortstop Jose Caballero (.221 average in 104 games with Seattle), and Pinto (.235 big-league average).
“We’re going to need some young guys to get on base that just don’t have the track records or (previous) opportunity,” Cash said “And they’re going to get some opportunity here in the early goings. But we’ve got some veteran hitters and … those guys can really contribute.”
To try to compensate, expect to see the Rays be very aggressive on the bases, having stolen 160 bases last year, second most in the AL.
The injuries also will impact the typically airtight defense, as there may be dropoffs when the Rays use Ramirez and/or Rosario in the outfield, and Shenton at first base. Plus, Arozarena looks to be the backup in center, Rosario at shortstop.
The rotation also is short on track record, with only Eflin and Aaron Civale having spent a full season as a big-league starter.
Zack Littell is back after being acquired off waivers as a fringy reliever and transitioning last summer to starter. Tyler Alexander was claimed off waivers in November from Detroit, where he split time between starting and relieving. Ryan Pepiot, acquired from the Dodgers in the Tyler Glasnow trade, on Monday will make his 11th major-league start.
The five finished the spring strong, which Cash said was reason to be “encouraged.”
The Rays have extreme confidence in their bullpen, which returns closer Pete Fairbanks, plus Jason Adam, Shawn Armstrong, Chris Devenski and lefties Garrett Cleavinger and Colin Poche from the end of last season. New this year are righties Phil Maton, signed from Houston, and Jacob Waguespack, who signed a minor-league deal and earned his way back to the majors for the first time since 2020.
“It’s a team that we thought we were going to like coming into it and we know we like now,” Cash said. “We had some injuries kind of creep up, and it presented some opportunities for some guys to make the club. We’re fortunate that we acquired so much depth in the offseason that we feel like we’re in a pretty good spot to break camp and get our season started.”
Projected lineups
Rays
Yandy Diaz, 1b
Brandon Lowe, 2b
Randy Arozarena, lf
Harold Ramirez, dh
Isaac Paredes, 3b
Richie Palacios, rf
Jose Siri, cf
Jose Caballero, ss
Rene Pinto, c
Zach Eflin, p
Blue Jays
George Springer, rf
Vlad Guerrero, 1b
Bo Bichette, ss
Justin Turner, dh
Daulton Varsho, lf
Kevin Kiermaier, cf
Cavan Biggio, 2b
Jose Berrios, p
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