Tampa Bay Rays Retrospective

Well, another Rays season is officially in the books. For the first time since 2018, the Rays will not be playing in October. It was an up and down season. Some bright spots for sure, but they just couldn't string together enough wins to keep their season alive. Now all that's left to do is rest up and get ready for 2025.

So what happened this season? Why couldn't the Rays clinch a sixth consecutive playoff berth?

Here's what I think:

1. Injuries to the starting rotation

The Rays rotation was absolutely decimated in 2023. They lost four starters, three of whom would need season-ending Tommy John surgery. Not only did the Rays lose these pitchers for the rest of the 2023, but also for a good chunk of 2024. Even worse, was the news that All-Star Shane McClanahan's surgery would keep him out of 2024 entirely. As a result, the Rays opening day rotation for 2024 looked very, very, different. Zach Eflin was the only starter remaining from the 2023 opening day roster. The Rays are built around strong starting rotations, and with all these injuries, they were treading water from the start.

2. Lack of power at the plate

Some teams can get away with questionable pitching if they have an explosive offense. Unfortunately, the Rays offense this season was far from it. The offense was phenomenal last year, setting a new franchise record in total runs scored, but it all came crashing down to Earth this year. They went from 6th in total home runs to all the way down to 27th. Some of it was due to losing players like Isaac Paredes and Randy Arozarena at the trade deadline, but the Rays just didn't have a lot of pop to begin with. Now more than ever, the game is built around the long ball, and the Rays just didn't have enough of it.

3. RISP woes

The biggest issue by far that plagued the Rays offense this season was hitting with runners in scoring position. They could generate hits, but their offense seemed to grind to a half once they got past first base. How bad was it? They had an average of just .213 with runners in scoring position, good for worst in the league. Even the Chicago White Sox, who set the new all-time record for most losses in a single season, didn't stoop to their level.

4. New faces

At the trade deadline, the Rays made several moves. Trading fan favorite Randy Arozarena, All-Star Isaac Paredes, solid utility man Amed Rosario, and two starting pitchers in Zach Eflin and Aaron Civale to name a few. The Rays completely revamped their lineup, and it would take some time for these new players to adjust. The Rays ended up with a 25-30 record following the trade deadline, which isn't too surprising given who they traded.

5. Victim of the long ball

The Rays struggled with home runs on the offensive end, but that wasn't the only area where it hurt them. Their rotation struggled with preventing home runs all season and finished in the bottom five in total home runs allowed. The Rays rotation certainly wasn't bad overall, they had the second best Earned Run Average in baseball after the All-Star break, but they just could not avoid the home runs. It was an uphill battle trying to stay afloat while surrendering so many bombs, and it's something they'll hopefully be able to fix next year.

In conclusion, the Rays were plagued by a multitude of issues that ultimately sealed their fate. With that being said, the future is bright and I'm looking forward to seeing how this postseason turns out, should be a great one.