3 players in need of a resurgent season for the Rays to make the postseason

Every team that makes a run at the postseason receives extraordinary contributions from a handful of players. Without the impact of those players, those teams would more than likely fall just short of October baseball. In this article, we're going to give you the three players that need to come through considerably in order for the Rays to reach the playoffs.

1. Christopher Morel

Christopher Morel is a newly acquired Ray that was a part of the Isaac Paredes trade in late July. Morel was in his third season with the Chicago Cubs. Since joining the MLB in 2022, Morel has been an electric personality with a ton of pop in the bat. He is known for his powerful swing and high exit velocity. The utility man had his best season in 2023 where he slashed .247/.313/.508 with 26 HRs and 70 RBIs.

Morel had big shoes to fill when he joined the Rays as he was replacing the team's most valuable offensive player in 2023 (and their only all star) in Isaac Paredes. This is the main reason why we believe that Christopher Morel will need to rebound from last year in order for the Rays to be a contender. His power numbers were present as he mashed 21 HRs between both clubs, but he hit a mediocre .196 for the year. Paredes was the Rays' biggest offensive threat before the trade this past summer. The Mexico native had 16 HRs and 55 RBIs through only 101 games in a Rays' uniform. His absence in the lineup every day has been felt strongly which is why Morel needs to pick up the slack.

2. Pete Fairbanks

Fairbanks was riddled with injuries this past season, but the production from our star closer will need to become more consistent in 2025. The importance of a lockdown closer is overlooked, but extremely necessary, especially for a club in the bottom half of the league in run production. It becomes imperative that the back end of a game is pitched competitively to ensure a victory in the low-scoring affairs. We will need 2022-2023 Fairbanks to return next year to give us a shot at October.

3. Jose Siri

Siri is heading into his fourth season for the Rays and he has regressed on the offensive front each season. The center fielder only missed 32 games in 2024 and hit an atrocious .187 with a .255 OBP. His 18 HRs and impressive defense didn't counteract his below average contact rate.

Jose Siri must improve this aspect of his game to give the Rays a chance. We chose him for this list because of his frequent playing time at a prime position and the energy that he has the ability to provide for this clubhouse.