Three Key Areas Rays Should Improve This Winter To Bolster Roster

What areas should the Tampa Bay Rays look to upgrade this winter?

Jul 9, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (mg) walks off the field in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

As the Tampa Bay Rays get set for the upcoming offseason, the franchise is going to be an interesting one to monitor. Despite finishing under the .500 mark, there was a lot to like about the direction of the team in 2025. 

Even though the team probably should have been better than their record indicated, they still will likely be making some changes to the roster to try and improve and reshape the team. With numerous veterans who have already seen their names floated around in trade rumors, deciding on what to do in that regard will be interesting for the franchise. 

While the team very well might trade a veteran or two this winter, by no means does that mean they are giving up on the 2026 campaign. Tampa Bay very rarely looks to have a player hit free agency and get nothing in return for him, which has proven to be a good practice. As the offseason gets closer, here are three areas that the team should look to address this winter. 

Veteran Starter

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Even though the starting rotation was good last year and they have a strong unit projected in 2026, adding some veteran help is never a bad thing. There is no such thing as too much pitching in baseball, and adding another arm to provide some depth to the unit would be a good move. 

Due to Shane McClanahan's health, it’s going to be hard for the team to trust him enough to stay on the field. Furthermore, it’s impossible to predict what his workload might be. Adding another veteran arm capable of eating some innings would be a good move.

Catcher Help

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One position that has a lot of uncertainty heading into the year is at catcher for the Rays. After dealing with Danny Jansen, the team didn’t receive much production from behind the plate, and that is a concern heading into the 2026 campaign. 

Finding a good catcher is never easy, but there are going to be some options available to them this winter if they are willing to spend a little bit. It will be interesting to see how the team looks to attack the need, because it is clearly a pressing one. 

Slugging Outfielder

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While they have a plethora of players who could battle for playing time in the outfield, the team would be wise to make some moves in order to help strengthen the unit. With a couple of talented youngsters who can run the bases really well, the team now needs to add a proven slugger. 

This was a unit that was one of the worst in the league in terms of slugging and that has to change. Adding a power hitter in the outfield would help create a more balanced unit and likely make this a Top 10-caliber offense.