Rays Veteran Hitter Starting To Show Some Life at the Plate
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One of the positional groups the Tampa Bay Rays were focused on upgrading this past offseason was the outfield.
The Rays’ outfielders were arguably the least productive group in the MLB in 2025. It was an area the team wanted to make changes to, with Chandler Simpson being the only player from the group returning in 2026.
Christopher Morel, Jake Mangum and Josh Lowe were all moved on from. One of the players who was tasked with taking their spot in the lineup was veteran Cedric Mullins, who signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal in free agency.
A reliable source of some power and speed throughout his career, the 2025 campaign was a disastrous one for Mullins. He was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles by the New York Mets ahead of the trade deadline, and his performance fell off a cliff.
Cedric Mullins showing some signs of life at the plate
Disappointingly, those struggles have followed him into 2026. He has not provided Tampa Bay with the kind of impact they were hoping for, but in an encouraging development, he is starting to show some life at the plate.
A three-game hitting streak and recording a base hit in four out of five games may not seem like a big deal, but for someone who has struggled as much as Mullins has, contributing to the team’s success in any fashion offensively is nice to see.
When the Rays completed their sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays on May 6, Mullins was called upon as a defensive replacement at the start of the top of the eighth inning in place of Ryan Vilade. He was set to lead off the bottom of the eighth and helped provide the team with an insurance run.
Mullins singled to lead off and advanced to second when Junior Caminero grounded out to third base. After Jonathan Aranda was intentionally walked, Jonny DeLuca grounded into a fielder’s choice, but an error by Ernie Clement allowed Mullins to come around and score.
It's kind of our thing pic.twitter.com/Wog0uDtaXq
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 10, 2026
The veteran outfielder was in the starting lineup in Game 1 of the series against the Boston Red Sox and went 1-for-4 in an 8-4 win. He wasn’t in the lineup for the team’s loss on May 8, and after a postponement on May 9, he was back in there on May 10.
In a 4-1 series-clinching victory, Mullins went 1-for-3 and recorded the final RBI of the game for the Rays in the top of the sixth inning with some small ball. He recorded a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher to score Ben Williamson.
Mullins’s overall numbers still leave a lot to be desired, with a slash line of .148/.202/.235 with 11 RBI. But any sign of life, such as his performance over the last three games he has received a plate appearance in, is a step in the right direction.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.