The Tampa Bay Rays need an expensive and ambitious offseason plan

The first thing the Tampa Bay Rays will need to do this offseason is make final decisions on their arbitration eligible players.
Arbitration Players and Projected Salaries:
- C.J. Cron – $5.2MM
- Tommy Pham – $4.0MM
- Matt Duffy – $2.6MM
- Chaz Roe – $1.4MM
- Jesus Sucre – $1.2MM
- Vidal Nuno – $900K
By finalizing their arbitration decisions they will need to make decisions on C.J. Cron, Vidal Nuno, and Jesus Sucre. I expect them to pay Chaz Roe, and obviously they will keep Matt Duffy and Tommy Pham. The Rays will need to non-tender Vidal Nuno and Jesus Sucre by the November 30th and either find a trade candidate for Cron or non-tender him by the deadline as well.
I don’t expect the Rays to retain Cron, Sucre, or Nuno this offseason thus freeing up 7.3 million to spend in free agency.
Sucre will find himself out of a job after spring training if they choose to keep him. Vidal Nuno only blocks one of their talented young pitchers from getting experience. By trading or non-tendering Cron, the Rays clear the way for the second step in the offseason…
Total Money Saved: 7.3 million
Total Cost for 2019: 8 million