Here are our suggestions for the Rays’ first offseason moves

With the Diamondbacks and Rangers battling to see which will be the last team standing at the end of 2023, teams that have been idle for weeks, such as the Rays, are preparing to start retooling for next season.

The first of several roster-shaping deadlines is set for five days after the World Series ends, and the annual general managers meetings open Nov. 7. So plans need to be quickly formed, strategies shaped and initial moves made.

Here, in our opinion, is where the Rays should start: with these four topics.

Be aggressive in defining market for Glasnow

In deciding whether to unload Tyler Glasnow’s team-record $25 million salary for 2024, the Rays need to know how many teams are likely to be interested and get a sense of what would be a reasonable return for the right-handed starter.

If they plan to trade Glasnow, as many around the game expect, it would behoove them to make a deal early in the offseason. There are several reasons why, starting with the reality that most any other major moves they may want to make would be predicated on whether Glasnow’s money had been cleared or was still on the books.

Also, they would need to get a proven starter to replace Glasnow in a rotation that looks to be thin with Shane Baz on a limited workload, and Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen penciled in for mid- to late-season returns.

So, unless the Rays would get a starter back in a deal for Glasnow, they would seem better off preempting the free-agent starter market than waiting out those negotiations and competing with other teams for whatever would be left. That market likely will be topped by ex-Ray Blake Snell, Aaron Nola and Sonny Gray, with two-way star Shohei Ohtani (elbow surgery and all) the biggest overall prize.

Of lesser concern, the media narrative of the Rays’ offseason will be driven by whether Glasnow will be traded or when.

Extend manager Kevin Cash

As frustrating as the end of the season was, team officials rave about what Cash did to get the group to that point given the injuries and off-field Wander Franco issues. Baseball operations president Erik Neander said flatly: “I think this is the best job he’s ever done here.”

Cash, hired to replace Joe Maddon in 2015, is heading into the last guaranteed season (with a team option for 2025) of his second contract, a six-year pact for about $10 million.

That extension was done after the 2018 season, when Cash had one guaranteed year and a two-year option remaining on his original deal, so they essentially are at the same point.

Given whatever feelers/speculation/interest in Cash that were/was coming out of Cleveland recently, more such things are likely to surface from elsewhere, especially as teams now seem willing to go after signed managers (see Giants, Bob Melvin).

With an extension and a raise, the Rays can make it very clear that Cash — who is headed into his 10th season as the majors’ longest-tenured manager with his current team — isn’t going anywhere soon..

Clear out crowded roster

The Rays often find success on the margins, a strategy that includes not making moves before they have to.

But having seven players to reinstate from the 60-day injured list and the usual handful of prospects to add to protect them from the Rule 5 draft puts a premium on 40-man roster spots.

Of the Rays’ three free agents — all relievers — only Chris Devenski is a candidate to re-sign early, with Robert Stephenson (likely to get more money and years than the Rays would offer) and Jake Diekman headed to the market.

Besides Glasnow, outfielder Manuel Margot ($10 million salary) seems likely to be traded. Also expected to go are at least a few of the 16 arbitration-eligible players, such as outfielder/DH Harold Ramirez (a projected $4.4 million), outfielder Raimel Tapia ($2.4 million) and catcher Christian Bethancourt ($2.3 million), plus maybe a couple of pitchers who don’t figure in their plans.

With the deadline to tender contracts Nov. 17, it again would benefit the Rays to be aggressive, trading from their surplus (such as Vidal Brujan) for young players not requiring roster spots. It’s a process they’ve been pretty good at, such as when they landed top prospect Junior Caminero that way in November 2021.

Stop wondering about Wander

With still no sense of whether Franco will be cleared to return in 2024, or at any point, following investigations into allegations of inappropriate relationships with one or more minors, the best course for the Rays is to plan on not having him, then adjust if they do.

That could, in theory, leave them with an infield of Isaac Paredes at third base, Taylor Walls at shortstop, Brandon Lowe at second base and Yandy Diaz at first. Jonathan Aranda (who seems likely to get a decent 2024 opportunity, with some designated-hitter at-bats mixed in) and Curtis Mead would be available as reserves.

Another option would be to add someone who could fill in at shortstop or carry him instead of Mead. Caminero would seem headed to Triple A to at least start the season.

Rays rumblings

Interviews will start this week with external and internal candidates for the vacant first-base coach job, with in-house options likely to include minor-league managers Michael Johns and Morgan Ensberg, and coaching/player development assistant director Alejandro Freire. … There could be an additional coaching hire or two in other/new roles with openings created by Jonathan Erlichman (process/analytics coach) and Dan DeMent (assistant hitting) leaving the staff, along with Chris Prieto (first base). … Head of mental performance Justin Su’a is shifting to a reduced role due to family considerations. … The Rays again are likely to be in the market for a catcher to pair with Rene Pinto, though re-signing Alex Jackson, who played briefly at Triple A before getting hurt, could be an option. … Bench coach Rodney Linares, a longtime Astros minor-league manager and coach, made website The Athletic’s list, and likely others, as a candidate to replace retiring manager Dusty Baker. … Randy Arozarena was a man of several sports last weekend, attending the Rowdies’ playoff match Friday night and the Bucs game on Sunday. … No Rays won Fielding Bible awards; Arozarena was fifth in the leftfield voting. ... The Rays are finalists for the new Silver Slugger Team award to be announced Nov. 9, along with the Astros, Mariners and Rangers. … Maddon joined other 2008 Rays who expressed their happiness at seeing Evan Longoria return to the World Series 15 years later with Arizona. He also praised his consistency: “As I watch Longo, what really stands out to me are his actions. Nothing has changed — the type of glove he uses, how he breaks it in; his body movements at third base, he still likes to throw on the run; at the plate, he stands tall with the bat and hands held high, still likes the ball up and not the one underneath his swing. Finally, he kind of looks the same. He has aged well with apparent exuberance for the game — same guy, same look, same desire. … Catcher Dominic Keegan, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick from Vanderbilt, is tearing up the Arizona Fall League, hitting .421 (16-for-38) in 10 games with a .476 on-base percentage and .763 slugging percentage. He also has the hardest-hit ball, a 117.7 mph single on Oct. 20. Former Rays prospect Kyle Manzardo, traded to Cleveland for Aaron Civale, leads the league with five homers.

MLB offseason calendar

Five days after World Series ends: Free agency starts; players on 60-day injured list have to be reinstated

Nov. 7-9: General managers meetings in Arizona

Nov. 13-16: Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards week

Nov. 14: Deadline to add prospects to 40-man roster to be protected from Rule 5 draft

Nov. 17: Deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players

Dec. 3: Winter meetings in Nashville; Hall of Fame committee voting (with Lou Piniella a candidate) is announced

Jan. 12: Deadline for arbitration figure exchange

Feb. 13: Opening of spring training in Port Charlotte

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