Former MLB Executive Labels This Area as Need for Rays To Improve This Offseason

What area is a need for the Rays to improve this winter?

Feb 15, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander talks with media at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

With the offseason continuing on for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team will be focusing on trying to improve a couple of key areas. 

As shown by the team finishing eight games under the .500 mark in 2025, there are some areas that they would like to improve upon. The Rays are by no means a perfect team, but there are some things to like about the roster. 

However, what the roster will actually look like on Opening Day is yet to be determined. In their lineup, they have a couple of potential trade candidates in Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz. As two veterans nearing the end of their contracts, they could elect to move one or both of these players in order to try to recoup some prospects. 

It will undoubtedly be interesting to see what the team elects to do regarding a couple of significant decisions, but they do have some pressing needs that need to be addressed. Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about starting pitching being a top need for the Rays this winter. 

Starting Pitching a Need to Keep Up

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The American League East has been one of the busier divisions in baseball so far, with the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox both already making some significant additions with a focus on improving their starting rotation. 

Recently, the Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year deal, which set the market extremely high for starting pitching this winter. Furthermore, the Red Sox were able to trade for veteran Sonny Gray. Both of these additions are going to make those teams better, and the Rays need to find a way to keep up. 

While they don’t have the ability to go out and pursue a top-tier starting pitcher, adding a veteran arm to help round out the rotation makes a lot of sense. There are going to be numerous options for the team in this area, and the team should be able to find someone to help. 

What will really be key for the franchise is the health of southpaw Shan McClanahan. He has missed the last two years because of injury, but the team finally expects him to be back in 2026. If he is the same pitcher that he once was, the team is going to have a true ace at the top of the unit. Hopefully, he will be healthy, and the team can find the right affordable veteran to add in free agency.