3 probable circumstances for the Rays to look forward to in May

Yes, it has been a difficult start to the season for Rays fans. This club has already seen vicious fluctuations in production, but through it all, they've struggled with finding ways to win resulting in a 10-14 record. However, there are some exciting possibilities on the horizon for this team, so let's look ahead to three key events.

Ha-Seong Kim's Rays debut

First of all, the Rays will finally be able to witness their key offseason addition at shortstop next month. Tampa Bay signed former Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim to a 2-year, $29 million contract in January. The excitement around this rare free agency deal is undeniable, but we haven't been even able to see it come to fruition yet. Nonetheless, the 29-year old infielder will likely be placed in the lineup for the first time sometime in May. Currently, Rays shortstop Taylor Walls is carrying a miserable .169 AVG, so Kim's return will hopefully be a much-needed boost for this scuffling offense.

Long awaited return of Shane McClanahan

Rays ace left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan was slated to be the Opening Day starter for this club at the beginning of spring training. However, towards the back-end of camp, he suffered a nerve injury that has sidelined him since the outset of the 2025 season. The injury is relatively mild and the front office finds it promising that he could return to this deep rotation in May. If he is able to return, the Rays will likely send down the struggling Zack Littell. Neander and the front office may even consider trading Littell in lieu of McClanahan's return.

Home field advantage

Lastly, the Rays will ideally be able to take advantage of a majority of home games during the month of May. Although the entire season has been strenuous to this point, they have played much better at Steinbrenner Field. In 19 home contests, Tampa Bay is 9-10 with 85 runs in those 19 exhibitions, which would average to a remarkable 4.5 runs per game. On the flip side, the Rays are 1-4 in away games with 3.4 runs per game during those contests. Although it's a small sample size, it's pretty clear that the Rays feel much more comfortable in their home away from home.