Three Goals for the Rays for the 2023 Season

The Tampa Bay Rays have been very quiet this offseason, making only one true move in the form of Zach Eflin, who will surely be a piece to work with in the rotation.

However, this seems to be the year where the Rays may make that one final push towards the playoffs, as the team will be relying on its main core players to try and lead the team to the promise land, which in the Rays' case is to grab its first league title.

With that being said, there are three achievable goals that Rays fans should hope for, or even expect, heading into 2023 that can make this team have a successful and productive year as well.

1. Tyler Glasnow RE-ESTABLISHES Himself as The Ace of the Rays

Coming off a small sample size in 2022, all eyes will be on Glasnow heading into the 2023 season for the Rays faithful.

Glasnow, who only appeared in 3 total games in 2022, showed signs of his former self as the season concluded, including a masterfully pitched wild-card game versus Cleveland where he pitched 5 scoreless innings, only allowing 2 hits in his outing.

Although he may have to contend for the "ace" namesake early in the season against his teammate, Shane McClanahan, who was a 2022 All-Star, Rays fans would love to see Glasnow be able to come back to the Cy Young-caliber form we have seen in the past.

If Glasnow does get back to where he was, not only will he be a valuable asset to this team going forward in the year, but he could be a valuable asset for potential suitors if the Rays decide to deal him, especially with Glasnow's contract greatly increasing next season, where he will be making over $24M.

2. A Rays Player Wins A Major Award

The Rays, although a younger franchise, have been able to gain success quickly, especially in the past 15 years.

We have seen this organization produce Cy Youngs out of Price and Snell and Rookie of the Year winners in Randy Arozarena and Evan Longoria.

With such a young and talented group, I have no doubt that a Rays player will win a major award (Cy Young, MVP, Rookie of the Year) in Tampa in 2023. 

Just based on production, a Cy Young award coming to Tampa looks highly likely, looking at the fact that local Tampa native Shane McClanhan had this season and what Glasnow could potentially put together in 2023, but don't rule out the idea of a league MVP possibly happening when you have Arozarena and Wander Franco.

Overall, producing a major award winner in Tampa is a realistic goal for this team heading into 2023, something the Rays lacked in this past season. 

3. A Stadium Will Be Finalized

Yes, this may be over-talked here in the area and for people because, until the pen hits the paper, nobody has a true, set-in-stone plan for what the Rays might do as far as a new ballpark, but hear me out: the 2023 season will fix that.

This season, one of the Rays' goals and completed projects will be finalizing the stadium plan.

Although Tampa is the "sexier" option in terms of the amenities and the travel, St. Pete is giving the Rays much more to work with, and with the opportunity to be able to build a new ballpark, fans would travel the extra half hour to catch a game and experience the atmosphere of a new state-of-the art facility.

If the Rays can get a plan that will allow them to build an area around the stadium that can be similar to "The Battery" in Atlanta or "Texas Live!" in Arlington, the Rays will have a premier stadium to go to on gamedays and even off days.