Tampa Bay Rays Update: Yoshi Tsutsugo displays his power in BP

Tampa Bay Rays: We check in on all the noise Yoshi Tsutsugo was making during BP.

Tampa Bay Rays players are putting in the work as the national spotlight is beginning to shine on them. Analysts from around the country are beginning to take note of how the Rays are not only a very good team with a stacked pitching staff, but they are built to win in a 60-game sprint.

• Buster Olney Pegs Rays as WS Favorites – RCG
• Counting the Reasons the Rays Will Win the WS – ESPN
• Rays Maybe Most Dangerous Team in Baseball – Sports Illustrated
• How the Rays Became Outliers by Finding the MLB’s Outliers – Tom Verducci, Sports Illustrated

Tampa Bay Rays – Yoshi Tsutsugo

Yoshi Tsutsugo put on a show in batting practice this past Sunday. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported that he blasted several long home runs. Manager Kevin Cash praised the slugger for his desire and the intense physical training he underwent while under stay-at-home orders in Japan.

Below is a video from MLB.com’s Tampa Bay beat reporter Juan Toribio of Tsutsugo rocketing a couple of homers, with the second one hitting the Moffitt Banner well beyond the right-field wall.

Topkin also reported that as Tsutsugo sat at home in Japan with his wife and baby, he considered sitting out the 2020 season. Ultimately, he kept training and was ready to destroy baseballs upon his re-arrival at Tropicana Field.

The team is hoping the additions of Hunter Renfroe and Yoshi Tsutsugo will add enough power for them to improve over last season when they finished tied for 15th in the MLB in runs scored.

The Rays struggled outside of the first two spots in the batting order and lost the primary number two-hitter when they traded Tommy Pham to the Padres this offseason.

With the newfound power of Yandy Diaz, a full season out of slugger Nate Lowe, Renfroe’s 33 homers, Brandon Lowe’s sizzling first half, and depth with players like Brian O’Grady who set the Louisville Bats single-season home run record last season with 28, the team boasts increased power potential this season.