Baseball - Tampa Bay Rays news

• Rays donate new uniforms to local Little League squads

  30-04-2015 17:34
  
  For the second consecutive year, the Rays launched an initiative with Little League Baseball. Included in the initiative were Little League teams from Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties.
  
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• 2025 DRaysBay Community Prospect List:  Vote for No. 1!

  06-01-2025 19:21 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images Let’s get it started! Welcome back to the 15th annual DRaysBay Community Prospect List!Starting this list is usually not a great challenge, as there is typically a clear favorite, but we will indeed be voting each round just to see if our community agrees with the greater blogosphere.The full rules on how to vote and links to resources can be found here. The gist is you comment “+1” under the name of who you want to vote for
  
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• Tampa Bay Rays sign Eloy Jimenez, several others, to minor league deals

  06-01-2025 17:13 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images Jimenez was once among the top prospects in all of baseball During the month of December, the Tampa Bay Rays invited several players to minor league deals with invitations to spring training.
  The most notable of those signings was Eloy Jimenez, who was once ranked as the third best prospect in the game by Baseball America. Jimenez received the ranking entering the 2019 season. It was at this time that the White Sox signed Jimenez to a six-year $43M contract e
  
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• In Memoriam: Three former Rays passed in 2024

  03-01-2025 20:00 via draysbay.com
  
  There were three former Rays players that passed away last year Entering the new year, let’s take a moment to look back and remember a trio of former Rays players that tragically passed away last year.
  Sean Burroughs
  Selected in the first round, 9th overall, in the 1998 draft by the San Diego Padres, was Sean Burroughs.Burroughs had already received national attention prior to the draft as he was a Little League World Series legend, pitching consecutive no-hitters en route to his team win
  
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• 2025 DRaysBay Community Prospect List: How to Vote!

  02-01-2025 16:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Voting starts on Monday!Welcome back to the 15th annual DRaysBay Community Prospect List vote. Given that the Rays roster appears to be largely set, we are going to get this year’s voting started a little early this year on January 6th.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 thre
  
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• The 10 most-read DRaysBay articles of 2024

  31-12-2024 19:20 via draysbay.com
  
  Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports Here’s what y’all were most interested in reading this year. This article has become a favorite tradition here at the site, my tenth at the helm. We had ~5.3 million page views this year, and for that I am grateful! I appreciate all of you and your readership.Before we get to the top ten most-read articles, here are a few honorable mentions :Rays acquire C Ben Rortvedt from Yankees in 3-team deal - a trade with the Yankees???Two grassroots groups
  
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• Rays Projected 2025 Opening Day Roster

  23-12-2024 14:34 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images The offense has mostly taken shape. What’s left to do? Last season things did not go the Rays way, and the team triggered a rebuild at the trade deadline by dealing star players Randy Arozarena, Isaac Paredes, and Zach Eflin — dramatically overhauling the farm system and setting up 2025 to be a transition year.
  Indeed, the organization is stocked with left-handed hitting talent that’s sure to give the 2026 Rays a brand new look no matter how w
  
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• Rays response to Stadium Funding approval: “More money please!”

  21-12-2024 16:18 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images Local politicians have given the Rays organization hundred of millions of dollars. Why stop now? After two hurricanes ravaged the Tampa Bay area, local politicians decided to take a rare moment of introspection and ask an important question: Does the local government really want to give a multi-billion dollar private company hundred of millions of dollars when tens of thousands of residents are under financial duress?The answer was yes, and it took 49 days to
  
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• Danny Jansen career introspective

  18-12-2024 19:08 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images It’s been the best of times, the worst of times for Rays new catcher The Rays recently signed Danny Jansen to be their primary catcher. Jansen has had some very bad years and some amazing good years. Here we are taking you on a walk through his career to help familiarize you with the newest Ray.
  Way back when in the world before COVID19 and $800M contracts, Danny Jansen was among the top-100 prospects in all of baseball.But, before even that, Jansen was 1
  
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• County Commission votes to approve bonds

  18-12-2024 01:07 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Stop me if you’ve heard this before..... The Pinellas County Commission voted today to approve $312 million in bonds backed by proceeds from the county’s Tourist Development Tax. This at least in theory puts the Gas Plant stadium deal back on track.The Commission’s vote was 5-2 in favor of approving the bonds. The two no votes were the two newest commissioners, Chris Scherer and Vince Nowicki. Dave Eggers and Chris
  
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• Rays pitching depth after the Jeffrey Springs trade

  16-12-2024 22:32 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The 40-man roster is full of pitchers likely to contribute in 2024 The Rays pitching depth has only expanded this off-season, despite the recent trade of Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez. The Rays 40-man roster remains full of pitchers, with the majority of them ready to contribute at the major league level.
  In the list below I’ll denote players are out of options with an asterisk (*), and players on contracts where options do not app
  
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• Rays trade LHP Jeffrey Springs to the Athletics

  14-12-2024 18:05 via draysbay.com
  
  Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports Full trade said to involve players going both ways. This article is being updated.
  The A's are finalizing a trade to acquire left-hander Jeffrey Springs from the Tampa Bay Rays, sources tell ESPN. Multiple players are going in both directions, but with the A's looking to spend, they get a rotation piece in Springs under club control for three more seasons.— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 14, 2024
  
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• DRB Prospect Review: #1 Junior Caminero

  13-12-2024 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images Despite nagging injuries, Junior Caminero proved he could be a slugger in the big leagues Over the offseason, the Draybay community takes part in an exercise in which we compile a list of 30 prospects in the Rays system based on popular vote.
  Now that the 2024 season has concluded, we can look back at these rankings and see how each individual player performed.
  Reminder, this is a review of the prospects ranked heading into the 2024 season. This is not an up
  
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• Wander Franco trial delayed until June, 2025

  12-12-2024 19:35 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images Key witnesses were absent and the trial could not proceed Wander Franco’s trial for his alleged involvement with a minor in the Domincan Republic has been postponed until June 2nd, 2025.
  The trial had been slated to begin earlier today. The reported reason for the postponement is that only three of the 36 witnessed called upon to testify in the case were present in the courtroom. Among the missing witnesses, according to Diario Libre, were the medical and
  
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• Rays acquire Mets starting prospect RHP Mike Vasil from Phillies

  12-12-2024 00:38 via draysbay.com
  
  Vasil was Baseball America’s No. 9 prospect in the Mets system. After the dust had settles from today’s Rule 5 draft, the Rays surprised this afternoon with the news that they had acquired RHP Mike Vasil from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations.
  The 24-yera old Vasil was selected by the Phillies in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft from the New York Mets, making this two unproven Metropolitan prospects heading to Tampa next season. Both Vasil and L
  
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• Rays add LHP Nate Lavender in 2025 Rule 5 draft

  11-12-2024 20:34 via draysbay.com
  
  Jim Rassol-Imagn Images They also lose RHP Even Reifert.The Rule 5 draft serves as the unofficial ending of the Winter Meetings with teams getting an opportunity to select unprotected players from each team’s roster.
  Many teams choose to pass on taking a player during the Major League phase of the draft as the rules require that any player taken during that phase must stick in the big leagues for the entire duration of the following regular season. However, there have been many success sto
  
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• Rays add C Liam Hicks, LHP Nate Lavender in 2025 Rule 5 draft

  11-12-2024 20:34 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Rays add two prospects, lose one in 2025 Rule 5 draft The Rule 5 draft serves as the unofficial ending of the Winter Meetings with teams getting an opportunity to select unprotected players from each team’s roster.
  Many teams choose to pass on taking a player during the Major League phase of the draft as the rules require that any player taken during that phase must stick in the big leagues for the entire duration of the following regular
  
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• DRB Prospect Review: #2 Carson Williams

  11-12-2024 14:55 via draysbay.com
  
  Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Williams is a future Gold Glove candidate and possible MVP Over the offseason, the Draybay community takes part in an exercise in which we compile a list of 30 prospects in the Rays system based on popular vote.
  Now that the 2024 season has concluded, we can look back at these rankings and see how each individual player performed.
  Reminder, this is a review of the prospects ranked heading into the 2024 season. This is not an updated ranking. Draysbay will begin t
  
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• Rays Your Voice: Winter Meetings Update

  11-12-2024 13:34 via draysbay.com
  
  Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Erik Neander, your work is not done.On this week’s episode, we catch you up on the moves made thus far by the Rays front office, and discuss the work they still have to do. The catcher position seems done, after signing Danny Jansen to a one-year, $8.5 million contract (with a mutual option for a second). The Rays have also traded Jose Siri which points to Jonny DeLuca becoming the primary centerfielder, but it seems like the Rays are positioned to add to their out
  
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• Rays share information on Steinbrenner Field agreement

  09-12-2024 22:02 via draysbay.com
  
  Set Number: X157891 TK1 R1 F21 Not the “sister city” plan the Rays had imagined Evicted from Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton, on November 14, the Tampa Bay Rays announced that the team would play the 2025 Major League Baseball season at George M. Steinbrenner (GMS) Field in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees and regular season home of their Lo-A minor league team. We are starting to get some information about what the 2025 season in Tampa will look like.
  Spri
  
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• Rays Opening Day 2025 moved to Friday, March 28

  09-12-2024 19:09 via draysbay.com
  
  Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images MLB moved Opening Day from Thursday March 27 to Friday March 28, to provide additional time to prepare the ballpark for the Rays home opener. The Tampa Bay Rays have delayed opening day to Friday March 28 at 4:10 pm in order to allow the team an additional day to decorate the stadium accordingly. For further information check the press release below.Via team Press Release:The countdown to the 2025 Tampa Bay Rays season begins in 63 days with pitchers and catchers
  
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• 2024 Winter Meetings Open Thread

  09-12-2024 16:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Jerome Miron-Imagn Images An open thread for all MLB winter meetings discussion The MLB offseason has seen rampant action all around the league with several notable free agents already signing with new teams. However, the busiest week of the MLB offseason has just arrived as the annual Winter Meetings are taking place in Dallas Texas.
  Most recently, Juan Soto reached a 15-year, $765M deal with the New York Mets. Prior to that, Willy Adames signed a 7-year, $182M contract with the San Francisco G
  
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• DRB Prospect Review: #3 Shane Baz

  09-12-2024 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images Shane Baz returned from Tommy John surgery and flashed glimpses of his former self Over the offseason, the Draybay community takes part in an exercise in which we compile a list of 30 prospects in the Rays system based on popular vote.
  Now that the 2024 season has concluded, we can look back at these rankings and see how each individual player performed.
  Reminder, this is a review of the prospects ranked heading into the 2024 season. This is not an updated ran
  
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• Rays close to signing AL East stalwart catcher Danny Jansen

  06-12-2024 19:21 via draysbay.com
  
  John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images With a fairly obvious need for quality back stops above and beyond the system depth, the Rays are reportedly close to finalizing a deal with long time Toronto and recent Boston catcher Danny Jansen on a one-year, $8.5 million deal.The Rays emerging as the highest bidder for the oft-injured back stop in a year with a dearth of catching options is a win during an off-season that seems unlikely to have many.Jansen’s salary will make him the fourth highest paid
  
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• DRB Prospect Review: #4 Xavier Isaac

  06-12-2024 15:00 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images Isaac enjoyed a tremendous season before stalling in Double-A Over the offseason, the Draybay community takes part in an exercise in which we compile a list of 30 prospects in the Rays system based on popular vote.
  Now that the 2024 season has concluded, we can look back at these rankings and see how each individual player performed.
  Reminder, this is a review of the prospects ranked heading into the 2024 season. This is not an updated ranking. Dray
  
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• St. Pete City Council calls Rays bluff, rushes approval of their new stadium bonds

  05-12-2024 23:53 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The Rays might still leave St. Pete, but it won’t be the City’s fault.The St. Petersburg City Council surprised all by adding their share of the $600 million in new stadium bonds to todays agenda, approving the debt in a 4-3 vote, and putting the responsibility for killing the new stadium deal on either the County, which has their own bond approval meeting scheduled for Dec 17, or the Rays themselves, who have repeatedly
  
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• Rays have 1.5% chance of top pick in 2025 draft

  05-12-2024 20:20 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images The lottery will occur December 10 at 5:30 pm. The 2025 MLB Draft will begin on July 13, 2025, in Atlanta as part of MLB’s All-Star Week festivities, and in preparation for the event, MLB will be holding its third lottery, the first that the Rays will have participated in.The Draft Lottery, in its third year, will take place on Tuesday, December 10th at 5:30 p.m. (ET)/4:30 p.m. (CT) during the Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas and will be carried li
  
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• Rays Your Voice: The Stadium Standoff

  05-12-2024 15:24 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Where do we go from here?I try to keep stadium news off of the podcast as much as possible, but at this point there’s nothing more paramount to discuss when it comes to the Rays. When Hurricane Milton ripped the roof of Tropicana Field, everything we knew about this stadium deal was blown away. So for the latest episode of Rays Your Voice, we are joined by Danny Russell to discuss the latest news surrounding the stadium saga,
  
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• St. Petersburg City Council to discuss new stadium bonds December 5

  04-12-2024 21:01 via draysbay.com
  
  Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Last minute agenda item was unexpectedThe city of St. Petersburg has added the Rays new stadium bonds to the agenda for tomorrow’s City Council meeting.
  It’s not immediately clear why this has been added to the agenda, but if any attitudes or perspectives have changed regarding the Rays new stadium debacle, it’s sure to be news. As things stand, even staunch supports of the Rays on the currently
  
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• Rays Rumors: Pete Fairbanks, Jeffrey Springs generating trade interest

  04-12-2024 17:33 via draysbay.com
  
  Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images The Tampa Bay Rays roster churn may continue as two core members of the team’s pitching staff, also two of the team’s highest paid players, are generating trade interest. The Rays are sure to be active on the trade market as they have several players that teams would love to add to their respective rosters. The MLB Winter Meetings take place next week and there is always a frenzy of activity, so we’ll only see the Rays rumor mill turn e
  
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