Yankees Signing Star Outfielder Will Make Things More Challenging for Rays

Are the Tampa Bay Rays going to be able to compete in the AL East next year?

Apr 7, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Yankees baseball hats and gloves in the dugout out in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | David Reginek-Imagn Images

While the Tampa Bay Rays have had a very busy offseason, so has the rest of the American League East. Recently, one of the top competitors in the division just got the best slugger left in free agency. 

As the Rays try to find the balance between being a contender and looking toward the future, the rest of the division has been improving this winter. While Tampa Bay has a fairly solid team on paper, competing in the AL East is going to be a massive challenge. 

With three teams making the playoffs last year from the division, they will undoubtedly be trying to do the same in 2026. The moves made by every other team in the division indicate that they are all trying to make the postseason, and a case can be made for all of them. 

Despite being one of the quieter teams in the division, the New York Yankees finally were able to make their splash with the signing of star outfielder Cody Bellinger. The talented slugger is a former National League MVP and had a great season with the Yankees in 2025. Now, he will be returning to the Bronx, making things even more challenging for the Rays in the division. 

Rays Will Struggle to Keep Up

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Even though Tampa Bay is generally able to put a good product on the field, the spending that has happened just within their division this offseason has made things extremely difficult for the franchise. With the Rays seeking a new stadium complex, they aren’t expected to be raising payroll dramatically until closer to that being completed. 

With that being said, the rest of the division has been able to land some of the biggest names that were available this winter. The argument can be made that every team in the division has improved for 2026 besides the Rays, and that is going to make being a contender hard. 

Tampa Bay, not too long ago, traded its All-Star slugger, Brandon Lowe, for a couple of talented prospects, but that subtraction for 2026 is starting to make more sense. Following the Yankees getting the last top prize in free agency, it’s hard to imagine that the Rays are realistically going to be able to be competitive in this division over the course of a long campaign. 

While the pitching staff is strong and they have a star player in Junior Caminero, the rest of the division is loaded with talent. Things can certainly bounce right for Tampa Bay in 2026, but it is going to be an uphill climb for the team.