Previous Winner Brody Hopkins, RHP24 | 6’4” | 200AA | 2.72 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 116.0 IP (25 GS) 28.7% K, 12.2% BB Hopkins was late to pitching, having done so essentially one season in college before being drafted in 2023, and accordingly has been refining his control throughout his pitching career. This was no different […]
about 1 month ago | 4 reads
Patrick Zalupski, the new lead owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, issued a letter to the Shareholders of Dream Finders Homes, Inc. (DFH), the company for which he is both Chairman and CEO, on December 29th, and included some commentary on his recent purchase of the team. Tampa – Home of the Tampa Bay Rays […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
It’s 2026 and Rays Reacts is back! It’s a whole new phase of Rays baseball. The Tropicana Field roof is getting fixed (with the Rays set to return home in April after a weird 2025 at Steinbrenner Field), and we’ve got new ownership in town led by Patrick Zalupski and his group, who closed the […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
The Tampa Bay Rays have claimed Taiwanese INF Tsung-Che Cheng from the Pirates, filling the final open slot on the 40-man roster. Interestingly, Cheng was designated for assignment to make room for Brandon Lowe, making him a sort of final piece of the trade. Cheng was signed in 2019 for $380,000 but did not make […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
Previous Winner 1. Carson Williams, SS23 | R/R | 6’2” | 180AAA | .213/.318/.447 (98 wRC+) 451 PA, 23 HR, 22 SB, 12.4% BB, 34.1% KMLB | .172/.219/.354 (54 wRC+) 106 PA, 5 HR, 2 SB, 5.7% BB, 41.5% K Williams made his MLB debut on August 22nd and proved the be the real deal […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
The Rays decided to trade Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz right after we decided to break for the holidays, meaning this is the first chance we’ve had to talk about the two massive deals that now shape the team’s offseason. There are now major holes at second base and in the starting rotation, which the […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rays fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Please take our survey
about 1 month ago | 1 read
The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired OF Justyn-Henry Malloy from Tigers in exchange for cash considerations, according to the team’s official social media account. This move might come as a mild surprise, as the Rays have added another outfielder to their 40-man roster with the acquisition of Malloy from the Tigers, brining the count up […]
about 1 month ago | 3 reads
The Rays will be looking to replace Shane Baz’s production in the rotation, and I think the Rays should look in-house and give Joe Boyle an extended run. Boyle has always had plus stuff, but he’s had trouble sticking in the major leagues in previous seasons due to his lack of both control (the ability […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
Welcome back to the Community Prospect List! For rules on how to vote, please reference the intro article: 2026 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: How to Vote! On to the candidates! Jadher Areinamo, INF22 | R/R | 5’8” | 160A+ (MIL) | .255/.316/.397 (126 wRC+) 415 PA, 11 HR, 15 SB, 8.2% BB, 11.6% KAA (TB) […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
Let me be the 47th person to wish you a Happy New Year and welcome you to 2026. Like many of you, I spent some time reflecting on 2025 in the waning days of the year, and part of that reflection came to baseball. I found myself dissatisfied with how the 2025 season played out […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
Welcome back to the 16th annual DRaysBay Community Prospect List vote. Here’s how you vote: There will be a selection of players listed in the article and then below in the comments. To vote, reply to the name you’d like to vote for with a +1 in the comment. Polls will be posted three times […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
At the start of every year, we like to take a look backward at the year gone by to see which moments resonated the most for Rays fans and our broader readership. Here are the top-ten read articles at DRaysBay in 2025: Honorable Mention — Rays Stadium Site Candidate: WestShore Plaza This article went live […]
about 1 month ago | 3 reads
When it comes to the Rays search for a stadium site in Tampa we assume everything is still on the table, but the rumors often seem to center on the area between the Courtney Campbell Causeway and Raymond James Stadium. The heart of this area is the business/residential district known as Westshore. We have been […]
about 1 month ago | 3 reads
Another holiday season is here, and with it more familial conversations about the Rays trading away their most important players and stars. Now that some dust has settled from the recent transactions, here’s a round up of evaluations of the Rays two recent trades of Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz from around the baseball blogging […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
This Rays off-season has included a search for veteran starting pitching* for 2026, with three veterans with former experience with the Rays tabbed early in the off-season in former Opening Day starter Zach Eflin, the recently traded Zack Littell, or the team’s only departing free agent Adrian Houser. Read More: Rays Rumors: A Starting Pitcher […]
about 1 month ago | 2 reads
The Tampa Bay Rays have hired Corey Dickerson as their first base coach, replacing Michael Johns, who joined the Washington Nationals as bench coach. “I am thrilled to congratulate and welcome Corey to serve as our first base coach,” said Rays Manager Kevin Cash. “I look forward to him bringing his experience and expertise to […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
Brandon Lowe, Shane Baz, Mason Montgomery, and Jake Mangum were all traded away this past Friday, bringing back a total of six players and a 2026 draft pick in two separate deals. The two trades significantly altered the Rays current roster projection. Most notably there is now a massive opening at second base and in […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
Prior to the start of each season, the Draysbay community takes part in an excercise in which the top prospects in the Tampa Bay Rays system are ranked by popular vote. This season, the Draysbay community ranked the top 25 prospects in the Rays system with several others receiving votes but just falling shy of […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
In a flurry of moves involving the Pirates, Astros, and Orioles, the Rays acquired six prospects and a comp pick. While B-Lowe will be missed, the Rays got an impressive return that will positively impact the big league roster in 2026. And following the Baz trade, the Rays found a plethora of promising prospects piled […]
about 2 months ago | 7 reads
After years of speculation, the Tampa Bay Rays have finally parted with 2B Brandon Lowe, sending him to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three team deal that returns the Rays a top flight defensive outfielder and a premium pitching prospects. In a mildly surprising turn of events, the cost was more than just Lowe; here’s […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
The Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles have made a significant trade, swapping right-hander Shane Baz for five pieces, including three first round picks In return, the Rays receive outfielder Slater de Brun, catcher Caden Bodine, right-hander Michael Forret, outfielder Austin Overn, and a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick, according to Jeff Passan […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
The Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly deep into talks with the Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates regarding a three-team deal that would send long time second baseman Brandon Lowe to the Pirates, while also considering a deal that would send Shane Baz to the Orioles. Brandon Lowe Rumor The deal has not been finalized but […]
about 2 months ago | 5 reads
The Tampa Bay Rays pursued infielder Jorge Polanco in free agency before the veteran slugger signed a two year, $40M deal with the New York Mets. The details of the Rays pursuit of the switch-hitting Polanco are unknown, but according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Rays were “outbid” by the New York Mets […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
Prior to the start of each season, the Draysbay community takes part in an excercise in which the top prospects in the Tampa Bay Rays system are ranked by popular vote. This season, the Draysbay community ranked the top 25 prospects in the Rays system with several others receiving votes but just falling shy of […]
about 2 months ago | 4 reads