Tampa Bay Rays 2017 Team Preview

Key Acquisitions

The Rays had some big time departures this offseason, but unfortunately didn’t do much to fill the voids. The biggest miss for Tampa Bay was catcher Matt Wieters, who ended up signing with the Washington Nationals. They did, however, take a chance on former Nats catcher Wilson Ramos coming off ACL surgery.

While they missed out on some players, they still reeled in a few that will help now and maybe later.

Colby Rasmus

The Rays added former Astros outfielder Colby Rasmus in free agency this offseason. Last season, Rasmus hit .206, hitting 15 home runs with 54 runs batted in. While his 2016 season was less than ideal, his 2015 season was pretty productive. He had a .238 average with 25 home runs and 61 runs batted in, one of the best seasons of his career.

The Rays had a problem with hitting for average last season, and Rasmus is not about to help that cause with his .241 career average. He may be able to provide an offensive spark from a power standpoint, and some veteran leadership to go alongside Evan Longoria.

Jose De Leon

The Rays acquired Jose De Leon from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Logan Forsythe. De Leon made his MLB debut in 2016, making four starts and posting a 2-0 record with a 6.35 ERA. He is only 24 years old and looks to be more of a fit for the future. With the current starting rotation, however, he may be able to see some playing time this season. Regardless of when he becomes a mainstay in the Rays rotation, it looks like De Leon has a bright future moving forward.