Rays' Certainly Regret Offseason Move That Has Failed So Far

Which offseason move do the Tampa Bay Rays likely regret?

Mar 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; A detailed view of the Tampa Bay Rays hat at American Family Field. | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays continue to have one of the best starts to the season in the American League and are showing no signs of slowing down. However, this is a team that isn’t perfect and has made some mistakes along the way. 

This offseason, the Rays were one of the most active teams in the league in terms of making moves. Tampa Bay did get new ownership that took over, but spending hasn’t seen much of a jump yet. Despite that, the team is firing on all cylinders this year and has the best record in the entire AL. 

While the Rays have been very successful, there are a couple of areas that they could improve. Offensive production has relied heavily on their star trio of Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz, and Jonathan Aranda. The team has had to play a lot of small ball, and while that is working, how long they can sustain it is the question. This offseason, the team signed a player who they thought would help the team offensively. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. 

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the biggest offseason regret so far for each team. For the Rays, it was the decision to sign Cedric Mullins and expect him to turn things around. 

Mullins Has Been a Bad Move So Far

Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Cedric Mullins | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Like usual, Tampa Bay made a plethora of moves this winter to reshape the roster. Due to the payroll being low for the Rays, they are always trying to look ahead, and sometimes that results in them having to move on from talent before they would like. While the team would certainly like to have Brandon Lowe back, that could be a move that works out for them in the long run.  

Even though the team might have dealt a slugger they could have used, a more regrettable decision as of now was the signing of Mullins. As a former All-Star with the Baltimore Orioles, the Rays were likely hoping that he would find some of that success coming back to the American League. 

Unfortunately, the results have been more like he performed in the second half of the 2025 campaign with the New York Mets. Tampa Bay was certainly hoping that he would be able to be an answer for them in the outfield to improve their offensive production. However, center field has once again been a problem area, and the Rays need him to improve or make a move to find a replacement. Overall, the signing as of now has been a disappointment.