Tampa Bay Rays defied the odds in 2018 – will that continue?

No one gave the Tampa Bay Rays much of a chance heading into the 2018 season. Will they be able to follow up that surprising performance in 2019?

Heading into the 2018 campaign, very little was expected of the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees and Red Sox were clearly considered the class of the AL East, and the Blue Jays refused to throw in the towel. The Rays and Orioles were expected to be also-rans, essentially serving as minor obstacles as those two powerhouses were set to contend for the division.

A funny thing happened along the way to the coronation of Red Sox and Yankees – the Rays were actually good. Despite trading away Evan Longoria before the season, and then moving on from Denard Span, Alex Colome, Wilson Ramos, Nathan Eovaldi, and Chris Archer during the year. In spite of those losses, the Rays continued to exceed expectations, ending the season with a 90-72 record.

To get there, the Rays employed unconventional strategies, such as utilizing the opener, to great effect. That strategy was copied by other teams, including the Brewers in their own run through the postseason. Once again, the Rays changed the way the game was played.

Will the Tampa Bay Rays be able to replicate that success next year? Let’s take a look back at how the Rays were able to find success.

Tampa Bay Rays unique approach to the rotation works wonders

Sometimes, innovation is borne of necessity. That was the case with the Tampa Bay Rays last season.

The Rays entered the year missing several starters. Nathan Eovaldi missed the start of the year. Jose De Leon and Brent Honeywell both required Tommy John surgery. The Rays entered the year with only three actual starters in the rotation.

While Blake Snell put together a breakout performance, leading the AL in wins and ERA en route to the Cy Young award, he was not able to make every start. Chris Archer did his part, at least until he was traded. Thus began the concept of The Opener, as the Rays used a reliever to pitch the first inning or two of a game before turning it over to a long reliever, and subsequently, the bullpen.

Over the course of the year, 17 different pitchers made a start for the Rays. Ryne Stanke made the second most starts, beginning the game 29 times. Even closer Sergio Romo made five starts last year, as he pitched in every inning but the third in 2018. When the season was over, seven different relievers, including Stanek and Romo, made five or more starts for the Rays.

Tampa Bay may not need to rely upon the opener as much next year. Snell and Tyler Glasnow would appear to be set for spots in the rotation. Jacob Faria should be healthy once again. And, at some point, Honeywell and De Leon should be ready to contribute at the major league level. The opener may not be as much of a requirement in 2019.

Even if it is not used as much next year, the opener changed the game. Once again, the Tampa Bay Rays found a way to make the unconventional work in their favor.

The Tampa Bay Rays youth movement exceeded expectations

For the Tampa Bay Rays to contend, they need to hit on their prospects, especially in trades. The 2018 campaign was a promising sign for the future.

On the pitching side, Snell was the biggest story. He took a huge step forward, becoming the ace that the Rays have lacked since David Price was traded away. At just 25 years old, he posted a stellar 21-5 record, with a 1.89 ERA and a 0.974 WHiP, striking out 221 batters in 180.2 innings of work. The best may still be yet to come.

Offensively, the youth movement began to appear. The first wave of prospects have come forth, with Willy Adames and Jake Bauers establishing themselves in the lineup. Trades were made to open up playing time for the duo, as the Rays expect both former top prospects to be a key part of the present and future. Meanwhile, Daniel Robertson emerged as a viable super utility player, potentially capable of developing into another Ben Zobrist.

That youth movement is only going to be furthered next year. Mallex Smith, who is hardly a grizzled  veteran himself, was traded to open a spot up in the outfield for Austin Meadows, and to bring in catcher Mike Zunino. None of the pitchers on the Rays 40 man roster, with the exception of Chaz Roe, are arbitration eligible. And if Honeywell and De Leon can come back healthy, the Rays youngsters could be quite the entertaining group to watch.

The Tampa Bay Rays started their latest youth movement last season. While it will continue, the results could not have been much better than they were in 2018.