Tampa Bay Rays' Leadership Doesn't Seem to Think Offense Needs Outside Help in Free Agency

Speaking to the Tampa Bay Times, Erik Neander said he thinks the Rays have enough internally to improve on their 80-82 record.

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (2) looks on from the dugout before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in 2024. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Speaking with the Tampa Bay Times this week, Tampa Bay Rays President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander implied that he doesn't seem to think that the team necessarily needs to make outside investments in the roster through the rest of the offseason.

Neander said that he thinks the organization can count on current players to take a jump. The following quote from Neander comes from MLBTradeRumors, but links back to the original report (subscription required):

Erik Neander said “we’ll look for those opportunities” to further bolster the position-player side, but the Rays’ president of baseball operations told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times believes the team’s offense can improve based on in-house sources alone.  “You’re counting on some players internally to take that next step forward or bounce back from where they’ve been, and that was similar to ’22 and obviously ‘23 offensively….There are an assortment of players we have that we think there’s good reason to believe they will be better than where they were last year, and/or just as a unit, that we can be a little bit more better….just kind of using history as a guide,”

Josh Lowe hit just .241 with 10 homers and 34 RBI, battling injury through much of 2024, so there's certainly a chance he improves. Youngster Johnny DeLuca played in 107 games, but hit just .217 with six homers. Top prospect Junior Caminero could get a bigger role and the team will have a full year of Christopher Morel, who they acquired at the trade deadline from the Chicago Cubs.

In addition, the team has moved on from Isaac Paredes and Randy Arozarena, two other players who struggled for the Rays, opening up opportunity for other players. Yandy Diaz only hit 14 homers last year, so there's reason to hope he could have a better power year as well.

Tampa Bay finished 80-82 last season and in fourth place in the American League East.

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