Tampa Bay Rays: What’s on their 2022 post-lockout to-do list
Last year was proof that the Tampa Bay Rays are one of Major League Baseball’s most complete teams top to bottom. At 100-62, the Rays were in first place for 88 days in 2021, by far the most in the AL East, ultimately finishing in first place by 8 games over the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
The incredible run the Rays had ended prematurely in the American League Division Series. After a shutout victory in game 1 over the Red Sox, the Rays lost the next three games and were ultimately eliminated from contention.
In the 2021-22 offseason, the Tampa Bay Rays have been busy. Not only did the club sign budding superstar Wander Franco to an insane extension, but they went out and signed both Corey Kluber and Brooks Raley to add to their pitching staff.
While they may be one of the best the sport has to offer, the Tampa Bay Rays still have some holes on their roster that they can address.
Let’s take a look at a few items that should be on the to-do list for the Tampa Bay Rays once the Major League Baseball lockout is over.
The Tampa Bay Rays need to trade Kevin Kiermaier
Through parts of the past nine seasons, Kevin Kiermaier has expertly patrolled the Tampa Bay Rays’ outfield. Long known as one of the best defensive outfielders in Major League Baseball, Kiermaier is set to be paid over $12 million in 2022.
Kevin Kiermaier, 31, signed a six-year contract with the Rays back in 2017 and the deal has not worked out for the club the way they were hoping it would. Injuries have been an issue for him multiple times over the years. The outfielder missed significant time in each season from 2016 through 2018.
Kiermaier, as previously mentioned, is one of the very best defenders in the majors. To this point in his career, he has 17.4 dWAR (defensive wins above replacement) and a 15.1 oWAR (offensive wins above replacement), showing that his value clearly comes more from his defensive abilities than his offensive ones.
The highest paid player on the penny-pinching Rays, Kiermaier has not hit enough to warrant a) his salary or b) his playing time. The Rays currently are 21st in the majors in total payroll per Spotrac’s MLB Team Payroll Tracker and could use the money Kiermaier is making in 2022 elsewhere.
During the 2021 trade deadline, Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported that the Cubs approached the Rays about deals that would’ve landed Chicago both Kiermaier and Glasnow but, ultimately, nothing came to fruition. A deal similar to this one where the Rays unload Kiermaier’s contract by including a star player in Glasnow, could be the Tampa Bay’s best shot at dealing Kiermaier either this offseason or at the 2022 trade deadline.
The Tampa Bay Rays need to bring back Nelson Cruz as their designated hitter
Should the Rays choose to trade Kevin Kiermaier, a signing of Nelson Cruz should follow close behind. The ageless Cruz served as the Rays’ designated hitter for the second half of the 2021 season and, while he didn’t put up Earth-shattering numbers, he has shown time and time again that he still has something left in the tank.
Cruz, still floating around the league at 41 years old, has largely continued to rake the older he gets. Looking at his numbers and career trajectory, he truly has gotten better into his late 30s and early 40s.
In 2021, Cruz made his seventh career All-Star game while splitting his time between the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays. “Nellie” finished the year with 32 home runs and 86 driven in while being statistically above average in on base percentage (.334), slugging percentage (.497), and on base + slugging (.832).
Among active players, Nelson Cruz currently ranks third in home runs, fourth in RBI, and sixth in hits. According to MLB.com’s free agent profile on the slugger, the only two players he trails in all three categories are Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera. He is also just 87 hits away from 2,000 in his career, another important milestone that he is sure to reach.
The Tampa Bay Rays could use him as their designated hitter for a full season. Signing Cruz to a one-year contract, their new outfield left to right would be Randy Arozarena in left, Manuel Margot in center, and Austin Meadows in right, with Brett Phillips, Vidal Brujan, and even Brandon Lowe available to backup in the outfield.
The Tampa Bay Rays need to sign Michael Pineda to a low-cost, one-year deal
Michael Pineda has had quite the career since his debut all the way back in 2011. Whether it’s (frequent) injuries or PED suspensions, he has been there and done that in all respects.
The Tampa Bay Rays are a very pitching-heavy team and they, rightfully so, lean on their pitching a lot. Although the club’s pitching corps looked great as usual in 2021, there are still some questions marks.
Can Corey Kluber keep rolling at 36 years old? Can 22-year old Luis Patino hold down a starting gig? Can Drew Rasmussen follow up his successful 2021 season? As of right now, the surest thing in the Rays’ rotation is standout lefty Shane McClanahan. One more established starter would be a safe bet for the Rays to bring aboard.
Enter Michael Pineda. Turning 33 in January, the big right-hander spent this past season in Minnesota and he was as advertised. When healthy, Pineda was effective in a Twins uniform but any time he appeared to be turning a corner, the injury bug bit again. Still able to make 21 starts and limit walks as he always has, Pineda did not look half bad.
Next. The Rays and their history with perfect games. dark
Should Michael Pineda be able to stay healthy with the Rays in 2022, it will be interesting to see if he can finally put together a full season of above average performance.