Top Prize in Brandon Lowe Trade Not Predicted To Be on Opening Day Roster for Rays

Will the top prize in the Brandon Lowe trade make an impact for the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day?

Sep 16, 2025; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (8) hits a RBI single ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

With the offseason continuing on for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team is still being worked on for 2026. More than likely, the current roster won’t be the one the franchise has on Opening Day, but it is starting to take shape. 

Coming into the winter, the Rays were a team that jumped out of the gate as one looking to improve this offseason. Tampa Bay might not carry a large payroll, but they are generally a competitive team. Unfortunately, the last two seasons, they have been unable to reach the playoffs. 

The American League East is one of the most challenging divisions in baseball, and the Rays have had a little bit of a hard time keeping up the last couple of years. Hopefully, the young talent on the team will continue to develop, and they can add another free agent or two in key areas. With that being said, the roster is starting to take shape, and the needs for the team are pretty straightforward. 

Adam Berry of MLB recently predicted what the Opening Day roster might look like for the Rays. Despite getting a lot of playing time with the Houston Astros in 2025 and being a key piece in the Brandon Lowe trade, outfielder Jacob Melton is not expected to be on the roster to begin the campaign. 

Outfield Has Plenty of Depth

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The prediction that Melton won’t be on the Opening Day roster is a relatively easy one to understand when looking at the number of players that they currently have. With Melton being left off, Tampa Bay was predicted to carry five outfielders with Cedric Mullins, Jake Fraley, Josh Lowe, Chandler Simpson, and Jonny DeLuca. 

Based on the talent that the team has, it is a bit uneven in terms of left-handed hitters and right-handed hitters. DeLuca is the lone right-hander that is projected to make the Opening Day roster, and that could mean a significant role for him to start the campaign. 

Kevin Cash is going to have his work cut out for him when it comes to making lineups, and it will be interesting to see how he tries to balance playing time for all the left-handed sluggers. With a plethora of depth in the outfield and a prospect like Melton in the farm system, it will be interesting to see if Tampa Bay looks to move one of their outfielders in a trade. 

Overall, even though Melton might not be predicted to be on the Opening Day roster right now, that could change if the talented young player has a strong spring training and forces his way into the majors.