Tampa Bay Rays: Projected to Win 92 Games by USA Today

The Tampa Bay Rays are slated for 92 wins according to USA Today’s prediction piece. We compare the Rays to other teams projected to win 92 games.

USA Today has released it’s six-person panel’s win-total predictions for 2020 and the Tampa Bay Rays are pegged for 92 wins, good for second in the AL East.

USA Today thinks the AL Wild Card will once again be decided between Tampa Bay and the Oakland Athletics, with both teams projected to finish 92-70.

Here are their projections for the AL East:

1. New York Yankees 103-59
2. Tampa Bay Rays 92-70
3. Boston Red Sox 84-78
4. Toronto Blue Jays 78-87
5. Baltimore Orioles 57-105

Seems like the overshot on the Orioles a bit doesn’t it?

To their point, the article poses the questions, “What does $324 million buy the Yankees?” The exact same win total as 2019.

Here’s a list of the teams projected to win as many or more games than the Rays:

• Yankees – 103
• Twins – 94
• Astros – 95
• Athletics – 92
• Braves – 92
• Dodgers – 99

Only four teams are projected to win more games than Tampa in 2020, and yet you can get 20:1 odds on them winning the world series.

"Tampa Bay Rays Given 20:1 Odds of Winning the World Series"

Of the six teams projected to win as many or more games than Tampa, here are their projected payrolls.

• Yankees – $243.9 million
• Twins – $132.9 million
• Astros – $206.6 million
• Athletics – $85.6 million
• Braves – $150.8 million
• Dodgers – $178 million

Oh, don’t’ forget Tampa Bay!

• Rays – $57.5 million

These projections speak to the savvy front office headed by Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations, Erik Neander. I love to point out that the Yankees’ payroll of $243.9 million is roughly the same as Tampa Bay’s gross revenue.

If these predictions come to fruition, Tampa Bay will notch its third consecutive 90-win season.

TB  continues to defy logic by consistently fielding a competitive team in what should be the most impossible of divisions to compete.

Tampa Bay heads into camp rich in rotational depth and tons of offensive weapons locked and loaded.

Do you think the Rays were shorted on these projections?