Tampa Bay Rays: 5 Players Deserving of an Extension

The Tampa Bay Rays have been putting the pieces together lately, with recent series wins over the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees. They now find themselves tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for the second wild card spot, in the thick of the playoff race. The performances of key players have stood out not only down the stretch, but throughout the season as well as some players are hoping for a nice payday in the offseason.

The Rays have already extended Manuel Margot for 2 more years after getting a deal done in April. The young stud Wander Franco also inked his 11-year extension just before the season began. More deals are bound to get done once the season comes to a close, but it's a matter of who the front office values most in the core of this team in the future.

Keeping a strong nucleus together is a vital piece for any winning baseball team. Sustained success for any club requires the right mix of controllable players, free agent signings, and retaining the right nucleus. The Rays are an organization who have done this with excellence for a decade, and will look to continue this run of success.

I can make a compelling argument for a fair share of Rays players, but I think there are five standouts that have shown why they deserve to get paid and remain as a staple of this team going forward. Here are 5 Tampa Bay Rays deserving of an contract extension.