Rays head into offseason confident in foundation for future

The Tampa Bay Rays are heading into the offseason with a clear priority: maximize what they already have. After their World Series run ended in a five-game loss to the Brewers, the organization is framing the next step as building year-over-year from the group it expects to return.

Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said the club’s goal is to “double down on that development,” pointing to an earlier turnaround that drove major improvement. He also tied the plan to learning from an opponent that followed a similar development cycle and ultimately won the championship.

Neander said the Rays went from 77 wins to 98 in the preceding stretch, describing the jump as coming primarily through internal development plus free-agent additions. This offseason, he said Tampa Bay wants the same formula to keep producing gains rather than getting distracted by the market.

On the roster side, the Rays indicated that most of their postseason-meaningful hitters are expected back, while specific departures include free-agent cases for starters Nick Martinez and Freddy Peralta, and center fielder Cedric Mullins.

The team also highlighted the pieces it added at the Trade Deadline and the dynamic shifts those moves created. Tampa Bay acquired catcher Liam Hicks to provide depth behind the plate and added additional left-handed punch behind Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero. The organization also credited Chandler Simpson’s emergence as a contact-and-speed presence and described Victor Mesa Jr. as another outfield option to build around.

Pitching plans, at least in part, are centered on continuity. Neander reiterated expectations for a potential five-man rotation next season that includes Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan, Griffin Jax, Ian Seymour and a healthy Ryan Pepiot, alongside bullpen return plans that feature closer Bryan Baker, Deadline acquisition Tyler Wells and left-hander Cam Booser.

The Rays also addressed the trade-rumor reality around Rasmussen. Neander said Tampa Bay fully intends to keep Rasmussen despite expected speculation, calling him the type of controllable, core piece that can anchor their pitching while allowing more flexibility to spend elsewhere.