3 positions Rays front office should focus on improving this offseason

Most fans would complain that this current Rays roster is far from the standard that Tampa Bay baseball has expected since 1998. Despite the clear stardom in players like Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero, there are holes in this roster that need to be filled as soon as possible. Let's break down the most pressing positions for improvement.

1. Catcher

When the Rays signed veteran backstop Danny Jansen last offseason, fans thought they finally got a potential All-Star caliber catcher for the next few years. However, two things happened. 1. Jansen wasn't at the All-Star level, but he had a respectable season and supplied some pop. 2. He got traded to Milwaukee in July.

Therefore, the Rays are stuck with a career minor leaguer as their starting catcher as we speak. To be fair, Hunter Feduccia has only had 100 at-bats in the big leagues, but the former LA Dodger is hitting .170 in his career. Those numbers don't add up for a major league starter. There are some interesting candidates in free agency that could slot in as a Rays starting catcher. Former Rockies All-Star Elias Diaz, Victor Caratini, and Jonah Heim are all available and could be of service in Tampa Bay.

2. Second Base

This position wouldn't be so worrisome if we hadn't traded Brandon Lowe to the Pirates. However, the front office was bound to make that financial decision as the slugger was in his last year before free agency with a hefty salary.

Now, the Rays have to consider how to man that position for the 2026 season. The current options on this roster are utility-man Richie Palacios and either Carson Williams or Taylor Walls if they swap between shortstop and second base. Jonathan Aranda is also a potential candidate, but his defense at the middle infield position was awful and it would force Diaz to play first base more than he should.

Therefore, the front office must make some kind of move to sprinkle some hope on this essential position. Free agency has quite a few valuable choices as former Oriole Ramon Urias, Luis Rengifo, and Adam Frazier could all be reputable replacements for Lowe.

3. Closer

Pete Fairbanks was the Rays definitive closer for almost five years, but the Marlins snatched him in free agency with a one-year deal. His intense fastball and personality will be greatly missed, but now the Rays must find someone to lock down the last inning of the game. The obvious internal option is 27-year-old Edwin Uceta.

The Dominican right-hander was arguably the best reliever down the stretch in 2024, but he cooled off significantly the next year. In 2025, Uceta tossed a career-high 76 innings, but recorded a 3.79 ERA along with 11 home runs and 27 walks. Another problem with moving him to the closer role is that he only has six career saves, five of which came in his late-season tear in 2024.

The relief pitcher market in free agency has dwindled a lot already, but veteran hurler David Robertson and 2023 World Series champion Jose Leclerc are currently awaiting a contract. Both of those right-handed pitchers could fit in well with the Rays bullpen.