Tampa Bay Rays

Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

October 18, 2026

From afar, the Tampa Bay Rays’ current roster looks vastly different from its 2020 counterpart. However, while many of the team’s key players might be in a different uniform, the team’s makeup and philosophy have remained the same.

Payroll

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In 2020, the Rays ranked 28th in payroll. The offense was headlined by Brandon Lowe, Willy Adames, and Randy Arozarena, while Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell led the rotation. All five players have since left, with the latter two helping the Los Angeles Dodgers win back-to-back World Series titles.

Six years later, the Rays rank 28th in payroll again. Jonathan Aranda, Chandler Simpson, and Junior Caminero, three players who weren’t on the team in 2020, lead the offense. 2021 midseason addition Drew Rasmussen, meanwhile, is the team’s ace.

Hidden Gems

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The Rays consistently find diamonds in the rough, and 2026 might be the greatest example of that. Take, for example, Victor Mesa Jr. Last season, the Cuban native was the Miami Marlins’ 27th-ranked prospect. He ultimately debuted but hit .188 with a .641 OPS in limited action.

Those numbers certainly don’t jump off the page. However, the Rays acquired him in February in exchange for minor league infielder Angel Brachi. In the regular season, Mesa Jr. shined, hitting .260 with an .813 OPS in 79 regular season games. In the postseason, he’s done the same, delivering a go-ahead, two-run home run against the New York Yankees in Game Three of the ALDS.

Likewise, the Rays took a flyer on Ryan Vilade before the season. In 27 career major league games spanning five seasons, the utility man was worth -0.9 WAR. However, the 27-year-old made his mark in 2026, driving in 43 runs in 96 games with a .750 OPS. Like Mesa Jr., Vilade delivered a go-ahead home run against the Yankees in Game Three of the ALDS.

Starting Rotation

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The Rays have always valued offense, but their commitment to the starting rotation is another constant.

In 2020, the Rays ranked third in ERA at 3.56. They had an ace in Snell, the 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner. They also blended youth and experience, with young pitchers Glasnow and Ryan Yarbrough ahead of 36-year-old Charlie Morton.

Similarly, the Rays rank seventh in ERA at 3.70 in 2026. This time, their ace is Rasmussen, who likely has a top-five Cy Young Award finish in the future. The youth, meanwhile, comes in the form of Ian Seymour, while veterans Freddy Peralta, Griffin Jax, and Nick Martinez hold down the rotation.