How Rays' Chandler Simpson Saved His Season
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Had the league figured out how to neutralize him completely? Was his lack of power at the plate rearing its ugly head? And had his polarizing speed-over-everything-else approach finally gotten solved? Simpson answered back.
Both Fangraphs and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times explored Simpson’s bizarre speed outage in the months of May and June. Reasons abounded, from poor on-base numbers to a team-wide offensive downturn which created sparse stolen-base circumstances. Perhaps the most telling explanation came from manager Kevin Cash to Topkin.
“Every team we see, they were mindful. Now, they’re that much more mindful. We’re seeing pitchers alter their deliveries.”
The major league level adjusts incredibly quickly in today’s game. Teams of analysts and coaches work tirelessly around the clock to exploit any marginal advantage, and it only took so long before Simpson felt it in full effect. Quicker times to the plate, an increase in slide steps, and more pitchouts than ever before created a hostile run environment that was a shock to the system.
With all those factors at play, Simpson simply could not deploy his speed like usual. It was a slump any young player will inevitably find themselves in, but pundits treated it differently. His extreme game, which lives on the edges of what is possible in baseball, makes him a polarizing figure in the baseball community. The sudden turn in favor of the fastest man in baseball confirmed biases for several fans who believed small ball’s place in baseball was gone. Then Simpson began to adjust back.
Simpson Bounces Back
Sticking to what has always made him so exciting to watch, Simpson returned to his contact ways. In the month of August, he’s only struck out 4 times, to go along with his absurd season-long contact percentage north of 90 percent. Statcast sets his expected batting average at .260 for the month of August, but his actual .390 batting average over the month reflects the chaos his speed provides on batted balls.
In a way, Simpson is the poster boy for a team that excels better than any at simply putting the ball in play. Team-wide, the Rays strike out the least and hit for the highest batting average in baseball. Simpson also boasts the lowest strikeout percentage in the AL and is nipping at the heels of Yordan Alvarez for the highest batting average.
It all goes to show that young players need time to figure it out. Tampa Bay would’ve been easily excused if they lost faith after Simpson didn’t record a stolen base for 28 games and demoted him. Yet, they trusted in his stellar work ethic that has also shone through in major defensive improvements, and saw him come out on the other end.
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Sam Hougham is an alumnus of UC Santa Barbara, who earned his degree in Communication. He is a passionate baseball writer and researcher who began his career at Diamond Digest, a platform for up-and-coming voices in baseball writing. Since then, he has launched his own website, The Daily Lineup Card, where he publishes long-form analytical pieces focused on scouting, drafting, and team analysis. A lifelong Tampa Bay Rays fan, Sam’s other sports interests include Aston Villa FC and the English Premier League, the NHL, and the NFL. You can follow him on X, @samuelhougham, or reach him via email at samhougham791@gmail.com.