You would have to think that the 2017 season was a successful one for the Tampa Bay Rays. Expected to finish in the American League East basement, the Rays actually held their own and were in contention for They started 51-44 but struggled down the stretch. They finished 80-82, which was an improvement from the previous season. This will be the fourth season for manager Kevin Cash, and now the Rays have to figure out how to take the next step in the American League East, which is always tough. But for now, they seem to be the best out of the trio that is comprised of the Rays, Toronto and Baltimore.
2017 Season Recap
The Rays were 80-82 in 2017, which put them in third place in the American League East, 13 games behind Boston and five games out of the wild-card spot. The Rays were 47-44 as a favorite last season and 35-39 as an underdog, which is admirable, so they finished $-650 in the money. The Rays were 38-43 at home last season and 35-41 on the road, although they were 11-9 in interleague play. The Rays were also 78-81-3 in the over/under standings.
What Went Wrong
The Rays weren’t a great team at the plate, where they were 25th in batting average at .245 and in runs scored with 694, and they were 20th in slugging percentage at .422 and 22nd in on-base percentage at .317. The Rays just don’t have a team that is built for power, although they did get some surprising contributions from Logan Morrison, Steven Souza Jr., and Corey Dickerson. That made up for a disappointing season out of Evan Longoria, who still hit .261 with 20 home runs and 86 RBIs, but his best days are probably past him and the Rays might try to move him at some point. The Rays were 22nd in field percentage at .983 with Longoria’s 12 errors leading the team, so that has to be improved.
The Rays were tied for 11th with 73 quality starts, and it was slim pickings after Alex Cobb and Chris Archer, although Jake Odorizzi stepped up to be a solid third starter in the rotation. But really, the Rays’ biggest problems last season came at the plate and that has to recognized during the offseason, depending on how much they’re willing to spend. Judging by reports that they’re looking to get rid of some veterans to reduce payroll, it might not be much.
What Went Right
Morrison was incredible last season with 38 home runs and 85 RBIs, although he did hit just .246. Souza hit .239 with 30 home runs and 78 RBIs, and Dickerson hit .282 with 27 home runs and 62 RBIs. That trio was fantastic last season for the Rays and now teams are sniffing around Morrison (more on that below). The Rays were also very good on the mound, ranking eighth in ERA at 3.97, sixth in WHIP at 1.26 and eighth in batting average at .242. Archer and Cobb were great front-line starters, but they might be better suited to be a #2 or #3 in a rotation for a World Series contender (again, more on that below). The Rays also have three players that stole 16 bases last season in Souza, Kevin Kiemaier and Mallex Smith, and if you aren’t going to hit for power in today’s Major League Baseball, you have to generate runs somewhere and the Rays have always been good at that, from the John Maddon era now through to Cash.
Key Free Agents
This is where things are going to get tricky for the Rays. The biggest free agents are Cobb and Morrison, starting with Cobb, who is being suited by the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs and given his history with injuries, if one of them wants to offer him a big-money deal with a lot of years, he simply has to take it. The same goes for Morrison, although it has nothing to do with injuries. He is 30 years old and his previous highs were 23 home runs and 72 RBIs in 2011, his first full year in the majors. If someone wants to offer him a massive deal (and someone probably will), he has to cash in right now because his value might never be higher. Lucas Duda had a quiet 30-home run season for the Rays, but he struggled in the second half of the season, so that might have dropped his value a little. Still, someone is going to pay him for his power potential.
While they’re not free agents, two of the biggest names that the Rays have to make a decision on are Archer and Longoria. The Rays want to shed payroll, which is something they seem to always do, and they apparently want to move some veterans. These two would have the most value, especially Archer, who is on a very friendly contract. Longoria’s contract isn’t as bad as you would think it would be either and at 32 years old, he probably still has something to offer a contender. Keep an eye on these two ahead of the season and if they’re still with the Rays, as the trade deadline comes up.
Where They Need To Find Help
The Rays obviously need some help with power and if Jose Bautista is willing to take a big pay cut, he can help out Tampa Bay as he almost definitely is gone from Toronto. There are also rumors that the Rays are going to make a play for Japanese superstar Shohei Otani, but given their history, it would be a huge surprise if they want to break the bank for him. That will be the big question for the Rays: how much are they willing to spend and how much will they want/have to move before they can spend? They’re not going to compete with Boston and the Yankees, so the wild-card spot is their best option and they’re still a few moves away from that. They could also pull some players from a farm system that is top-10 in the majors, and if there is one thing that the Rays are good at, it is stocking the farm system.
The 2017 MLB season has come to a conclusion as the Houston Astros were crowned champions. The 2018 World Series futures are already posted, so if you’re looking at betting lines, click here to bet on MLB (or any other sports) at BetDSI!
