Concerns for Tampa Bay’s Offense
Avert your eyes. Ignore the stats.
If you were worried about Tampa Bay’s offense coming into the spring, this is probably not the story you want to read. While the news was positive Sunday, the bigger picture is still more bleak than you would prefer.
Spring Start for the Rays
The Rays began Sunday morning with at least mild concern about the offensive production of their outfielders. Between them, Jonny DeLuca, Josh Lowe, Christopher Morel, and Richie Palacios had 114 spring at-bats and no home runs. At that point, they had combined for a .211 batting average, a .286 on-base percentage, and a .263 slugging percentage.
Sure, it’s a relatively small sample size and spring training stats are not to be trusted. Yet, it wasn’t the start the Rays were hoping for, considering they are coming off their worst offensive season in franchise history.
Positive Signs in Split-Squad Games
That’s why Sunday’s split-squad games against the Yankees (a 7-5 loss) and the Nationals (an 11-5 win) took on an outsized importance. Lowe started the turnaround with his first homer of the spring in West Palm Beach and, not too long afterward, Morel followed with his first home run in Port Charlotte. By the end of the day, DeLuca, Lowe, Morel, and Palacios had combined to go 6-for-13 with two walks, a double, and the two home runs.
Concerns and Hope for the Outfield
It was necessary to keep the performance of the outfielders from becoming a louder conversation. Because, a little more than a week from opening day, it feels like a lot more hope than verifiable evidence that the Rays will get enough production from the outfield to provide a league-average offense.
Struggles from Previous Seasons
A year ago, the Rays broke camp with the makings of a fast, powerful, emerging group of outfielders. Lowe, Randy Arozarena, and Jose Siri were coming off a season when the three Tampa Bay outfielders had averaged 23 homers and 22 stolen bases apiece.
Instead of inching toward 30/30 seasons, all three took a step backward. In Lowe’s case, it began with a series of injuries. For Arozarena, it was an inexplicable decline. And for Siri, it was the same up-and-down type of tease that had led Houston to give up on him. All of Tampa Bay’s outfielders ended up combining for a .658 OPS, which was 26th in the league
Need for Improvement
Getting more production from the outfielders is going to be imperative for this offense.
The Rays better hope Sunday was a turning point.
Conclusion
With the regular season approaching, the Tampa Bay Rays are looking to improve their offensive production from the outfield. The recent positive signs in spring training games have sparked hope for a better outcome in the upcoming season.
FAQs
1. Why is the performance of the outfielders crucial for the Rays?
The outfielders’ production directly impacts the team’s offensive capabilities and overall success in the league.
2. What were the struggles faced by the outfielders in previous seasons?
Inconsistency, injuries, and declines in performance were observed among the outfielders, leading to a need for improvement.
3. How important is it for the Rays to see positive results from their outfielders?
Given the Rays’ aspirations for a competitive season, increased production from the outfielders is vital to achieving their goals.
