Rays Need To Improve This Area to Remain Competitive in AL East

The Tampa Bay Rays need to spend in this area to remain competitive in the division

Sep 25, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) watches the game in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

With the offseason well underway for the Tampa Bay Rays, recent moves by division rivals have further created a need for them to upgrade in a key area. 

Coming into the winter, the Rays had some precise needs that they wanted to address. This was a team that fell apart a bit in the second half of the year and was simply outmatched in the American League East. So far, their division has only gotten better this winter, and that is a scary thing for Tampa Bay. 

Last season, the AL East sent three teams to the playoffs with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays all making the postseason. The Blue Jays came inches away from beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, and they are very much looking like a perennial contender now. 

So far, the Red Sox and Toronto have already started to improve their starting rotation with a couple of big names joining the AL East. Sonny Gray was traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Red Sox, helping them improve their rotation. Furthermore, the Blue Jays made the big splash with Dylan Cease signing a seven-year deal to head north. 

Starting Rotation Needs Help to Keep Up

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For Tampa Bay, why they would have never been able to consider either one of those starters, they have needs in their rotation as well. Even though the unit was solid last year, it feels like they will need to make some significant improvements to keep up with some of the arms just in their division alone. 

One player who could help immensely in that area is Shane McClanahan. The southpaw can be a great pitcher in the Majors, but has missed the last two campaigns, and it’s impossible to know what to expect from him. 

With that being said, the Rays should be thinking about adding two pitchers this winter. That is where things get a bit tricky for Tampa Bay, which isn't expecting to increase payroll much. While they did save some money by electing not to pick up the option on closer Pete Fairbanks, good starting pitching isn’t cheap. 

Adding a veteran would be the most likely avenue for them to improve, with depth being the primary goal. However, a decent veteran can cost more than $10 million for a one-year deal, which feels a bit steep. If Tampa Bay truly wants to compete in 2026, it will have to open up its wallet a bit, and the rotation might be where it has to spend.