Mets Notes: Sean Manaea to start Sunday with Clay Holmes out of bullpen; UCL surgery ‘most likely’ for Tylor Megill

Prior to the Mets game on Saturday against the Washington Nationals, manager Carlos Mendoza gave a handful of updates on the team…


Sunday’s pitching plan

Sean Manaea will return from the paternity list and start New York’s final home game of the regular season on Sunday against the Nats with Clay Holmes available out of the bullpen.

New York flipped things around compared to last time both players pitched, as Holmes started and threw four innings with Manaea coming in to finish the final five innings of the game.

In Manaea’s last start on Sept. 9 against the Philadelphia Phillies, he gave up two home runs and allowed four runs on five hits over 5.0 IP. The lefty bounced back with his bullpen performance, allowing one run on a solo HR over 5.0 IP.

“It helps when we’re making these decisions, the fact that they’ve done it in the past,” Mendoza said. “But again, they want to start and we consider them starters. But given where we’re at, they’re all on board, they understand. When it comes down for us making those decisions, they know what it takes to come out of the bullpen. It’s a completely different routine, but they’ve done it before, so that helps.”

UCL surgery on the table for Megill

Tylor Megill, who felt tightness when throwing his secondary pitches in his rehab start, will go to Los Angeles for an in-person visit and it’s “most likely” he’ll get UCL surgery.

Megill has been out since June 14 and started his rehab in the minor leagues on Aug. 12. He went 1-1 with a 4.95 ERA over six starts in Double-A and Triple-A, having last allowed five runs over 2.0 IP on Sept. 7.

The 30-year-old would likely miss the entire 2026 season if he gets UCL surgery. He has two more years of arbitration on his contract before becoming a free agent ahead of the 2028 season. 

Megill finished the 2025 season with a 5-5 record, 3.95 ERA, and 89 strikeouts over 68.1 IP across 14 starts. The righty owns a career 26-26 record with a 4.46 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 435 strikeouts.

No update on Garrett

Reed Garrett was placed on the 15-day IL on Thursday with a “concerning” elbow injury and the team is still determining the next steps for him.

“Reed Garrett, we haven’t heard anything,” Mendoza said. “We know he’s got a ligament strain there, but there’s a couple of options that are being recommended. We’re still waiting for a couple of other doctors to review it and give us more information there.”

The reliever landed back on the IL after just being activated on Sept. 7 while dealing with right elbow inflammation.

Mendoza said Thursday that Garrett is experiencing similar issues as he did with his last IL stint and “continues to have a hard time recovering after every time he pitched.”

Senga to throw live BP

Mendoza spoke Friday about the next steps for Kodai Senga, saying he will face hitters again, but they weren’t sure in what environment that would take place.

The team made a decision Saturday and will have Senga throw a live BP next week.

Mendoza said Thursday that Senga is not a lock to make the potential postseason roster and the righty didn’t help his case, having a rough second outing in Triple-A.

“Stuff-wise was down. Whether it was the velo, execution, the secondary pitches weren’t sharp,” Mendoza said Friday. “That’s the report I got, and watching film, you could see it. That’s probably one of the reasons why he’s asking for one more time to face hitters, to continue to work through those issues.”

Taylor getting close to returning

Tyrone Taylor (hamstring strain) played in a rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday night and will do so again Sunday.

He was seen taking batting practice at Citi Field on Saturday and told reporters that he’s feeling “100 percent.”

Taylor went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the sixth inning and was subbed out in the bottom of the seventh.

“He’s playing tomorrow again in Triple-A,” Mendoza said. “We just got to build up volume, making sure that he continues to play. Like he told you guys, he feels good physically. Now it’s more getting him to be able to play nine innings back-to-back.”

12-Team, 9-Cat Fantasy Basketball Mock Draft 2025-26: Take Giannis Antetokounmpo and don’t look back

Another day, another mock! I joined 11 other analysts in a nine-cat, head-to-head mock draft that was hosted by Adam King on Fantrax, selecting from the fifth spot. The other unique aspect of this draft is that it had a third-round reversal, which flips the draft order after the second round.

The top four picks in every draft should be pretty much locked in, which makes the fifth pick an interesting place to start, leaving you with plenty of options.

Round 1

1. Nikola Jokic (C – DEN)

2. Victor Wembanyama (C – SA)

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (G – OKC)

4. Luka Doncic (G – LAL)

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo (F – MIL)

6. Anthony Davis (F – DAL)

7. Anthony Edwards (G – MIN)

8. Cade Cunningham (G – DET)

9. James Harden (G – LAC)

10. Trae Young (G – ATL)

11. Devin Booker (G – PHO)

12. Karl-Anthony Towns (C – NY)

To me, Giannis is the way to go, and he’s a fun player to build around, with a clear punt path. He’s dominant in a handful of categories, and his weaknesses are clear, meaning you can either try and make up for it, or lean into them. I opted to lean into his strengths by emphasizing points, rebounds, assists, steals and field goal percentage while largely disregarding the other four categories. The end of the first round feels weak this year, so the third-round reversal helped even out the league.

Round 2

13. Stephen Curry (G – GS)

14. Tyrese Maxey (G – PHI)

15. Evan Mobley (F – CLE)

16. Domantas Sabonis (C – SAC)

17. Kevin Durant (F – HOU)

18. Donovan Mitchell (G – CLE)

19. Amen Thompson (F – HOU)

20. Jalen Johnson (F – ATL)

21. Jalen Williams (G – OKC)

22. Josh Giddey (G – CHI)

23. Jaren Jackson (C – MEM)

24. LaMelo Ball (G – CHA)

I felt comfortable taking Johnson here. I’m expecting him to be an All-Star this year, and he fits in well with Giannis. I would’ve loved to get Thompson, but he went one pick before me, which made my decision regarding Johnson much easier. I also thought about Williams, who I have ranked higher than Johnson, but I opted for the better fit. There are quite a few options I really like in round two.

Round 3

25. Myles Turner (C – MIL)

26. Jamal Murray (G – DEN)

27. Scottie Barnes (F – TOR)

28. LeBron James (F – LAL)

29. Tyler Herro (G – MIA)

30. Chet Holmgren (C – OKC)

31. Dyson Daniels (G – ATL)

32. Alperen Sengun (C – HOU)

33. De’Aaron Fox (G – SA)

34. Jalen Brunson (G – NY)

35. Ja Morant (G – MEM)

36. Deni Avdija (F – POR)

While I love the second round, things start to drop off in round three. However, I really lucked out here in a way that made up for a previous mishap. I have Sengun ranked much higher than this and even higher than Johnson. It was an oversight on my part, but it ended up working out flawlessly. I also would’ve been thrilled with Holmgren or Daniels, but they went right before. Also, I suspect Herro will be drafted later after undergoing a procedure on his foot and ankle on Friday.

Round 4

37. Austin Reaves (G – LAL)

38. Darius Garland (G – CLE)

39. Derrick White (G – BOS)

40. Paolo Banchero (F – ORL)

41. Pascal Siakam (F – IND)

42. Kawhi Leonard (F – LAC)

43. Bam Adebayo (C – MIA)

44. Jimmy Butler (F – GS)

45. Cooper Flagg (F – DAL)

46. Franz Wagner (F – ORL)

47. Trey Murphy (F – NO)

48. Kristaps Porzingis (C – ATL)

I had three players on my mind entering this round, and I opted to go with the veteran player in Siakam, partially because Banchero was taken one pick before me. The other player was Zion Williamson, who went one pick before me in the next round, sadly. However, Siakam fits well and should be in for a monster season with Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) sidelined and Myles Turner now in Milwaukee.

Round 5

49. Payton Pritchard (G – BOS)

50. Desmond Bane (G – ORL)

51. Jaylen Brown (F – BOS)

52. Walker Kessler (C – UTA)

53. Brandon Miller (F – CHA)

54. Coby White (G – CHI)

55. Zion Williamson (F – NO)

56. OG Anunoby (F – NY)

57. Zach LaVine (G – SAC)

58. Ivica Zubac (C – LAC)

59. Immanuel Quickley (G – TOR)

60. Mark Williams (C – PHO)

As I mentioned previously, I was hoping to get Zion, but that just didn’t happen. Anunoby isn’t my favorite fit with the rest of my team, but he is certainly a productive, helpful piece that isn’t going to hurt me anywhere. Plus, he’s a strong source of steals, which I hadn’t really addressed yet. Wasn’t part of my plan, but I’m not upset about it at all. Also, Pritchard in the top-50!

Round 6

61. Jordan Poole (G – NO)

62. Jalen Green (G – PHO)

63. Jakob Poeltl (C – TOR)

64. Fred VanVleet (G – HOU)

65. Ausar Thompson (F – DET)

66. Nikola Vucevic (C – CHI)

67. Rudy Gobert (C – MIN)

68. Lauri Markkanen (F – UTA)

69. Deandre Ayton (C – LAL)

70. Julius Randle (F – MIN)

71. Jalen Duren (C – DET)

72. Joel Embiid (C – PHI)

Yes, this was really early for me to select Thompson, but he fit my team too well for me to risk waiting another round. This Thompson twin is the one I’m hoping to leave every draft with, and I think he’s in for a breakout season like his brother had last year. He may not reach those heights, but he should play more than he ever has, and when he’s been on the floor, he’s been elite. I’m all in on Ausar.

Round 7

73. Miles Bridges (F – CHA)

74. Donovan Clingan (C – POR)

75. Brandon Ingram (F – TOR)

76. Andrew Nembhard (G – IND)

77. Paul George (F – PHI)

78. DeMar DeRozan (F – SAC)

79. Jarrett Allen (C – CLE)

80. Onyeka Okongwu (C – ATL)

81. Josh Hart (G – NY)

82. Matas Buzelis (F – CHI)

83. Alex Sarr (C – WAS)

84. Shaedon Sharpe (G – POR)

I didn’t expect Okongwu to be here, but I certainly wasn’t upset about it. I still think he could start for the Hawks this season at center, and he was producing at an elite level to close out last year. I would’ve loved to get Clingan here, and I was between Allen and Okongwu, though that decision was made for me.

Round 8

85. Isaiah Hartenstein (C – OKC)

86. Mikal Bridges (F – NY)

87. Kel’el Ware (C – MIA)

88. Cameron Johnson (F – DEN)

89. Jalen Suggs (G – ORL)

90. Toumani Camara (F – POR)

91. Keegan Murray (F – SAC)

92. Zach Edey (C – MEM)

93. Michael Porter (F – BKN)

94. Herbert Jones (F – NO)

95. Christian Braun (G – DEN)

96. Bradley Beal (G – LAC)

At this point, I didn’t have a guard, so I really needed to start adding some. I went with Suggs, who will add some defensive stats. He may not provide as many assists as he has in the past with Desmond Bane now in Orlando, but he’ll still be able to produce strong value. I also wanted Edey and Braun, but they didn’t fall to me in the next round.

Round 9

97. Tobias Harris (F – DET)

98. John Collins (F – LAC)

99. Jay Huff (C – IND)

100. Norman Powell (G – MIA)

101. Naz Reid (C – MIN)

102. Draymond Green (F – GS)

103. Kyrie Irving (G – DAL)

104. Brandin Podziemski (G – GS)

105. Devin Vassell (G – SA)

106. Scoot Henderson (G – POR)

107. Anfernee Simons (G – BOS)

108. Kevin Porter (G – MIL)

Podz fits my team perfectly, and I was happy he fell to me here. He’s an excellent rebounder from the guard spot, and he stepped up his play after the Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler. Golden State has a lot of questions left to answer this offseason, but Podz is locked in as a starter. He’ll end up being a bargain outside the top-100.

Round 10

109. Donte DiVincenzo (G – MIN)

110. Jaden McDaniels (F – MIN)

111. Jaden Ivey (G – DET)

112. Kyle Filipowski (C – UTA)

113. Tari Eason (F – HOU)

114. Kyshawn George (G – WAS)

115. Cameron Thomas (G – BKN)

116. Jrue Holiday (G – POR)

117. D’Angelo Russell (G – DAL)

118. RJ Barrett (F – TOR)

119. CJ McCollum (G – WAS)

120. Dennis Schroder (G – SAC)

At this point, I was looking for upside, and nobody fits that better than Eason. The addition of Kevin Durant isn’t going to limit Eason, and there aren’t many players that can contribute defensive stats like Eason. I also considered Schroder to get me some assists, and George is a player I’m hoping to get in the last few rounds of every draft. He just went a tad earlier in this mock.

Round 11

121. Bobby Portis (F – MIL)

122. Dereck Lively (C – DAL)

123. Cam Whitmore (F – WAS)

124. Dejounte Murray (G – NO)

125. Andrew Wiggins (F – MIA)

126. Malik Monk (G – SAC)

127. Nicolas Claxton (C – BKN)

128. Isaiah Collier (G – UTA)

129. Carlton Carrington (G – WAS)

130. Zaccharie Risacher (F – ATL)

131. Jabari Smith (F – HOU)

132. Aaron Nesmith (F – IND)

After missing out on Schroder, I really needed to get some assists in the later rounds, and Collier can certainly provide those. He doesn’t do much scoring, but the rest of my team can help make up for that. I just really needed the dimes.

Round 12

133. De’Andre Hunter (F – CLE)

134. Keyonte George (G – UTA)

135. Scotty Pippen (G – MEM)

136. T.J. McConnell (G – IND)

137. Bennedict Mathurin (F – IND)

138. Jonathan Kuminga (F – GS)

139. Aaron Gordon (F – DEN)

140. Cason Wallace (G – OKC)

141. Mitchell Robinson (C – NY)

142. Kyle Kuzma (F – MIL)

143. Isaiah Jackson (C – IND)

144. Stephon Castle (G – SA)

Mathurin doesn’t fit my team well, but at this point, I don’t really care. This was 20 spots after his Fantrax ADP and 40 spots after his Yahoo! ADP. He’s going to score a ton of points. That’s more than what can be said for most of the other players going in this range.

145. Collin Sexton (G – CHA)

146. Neemias Queta (C – BOS)

147. Lonzo Ball (G – CLE)

148. Ace Bailey (F – UTA)

149. Chris Paul (G – LAC)

150. Moussa Diabate (C – CHA)

151. Bruce Brown (G – DEN)

152. Taylor Hendricks (F – UTA)

153. P.J. Washington (F – DAL)

154. Chris Boucher (F – BOS)

155. Daniel Gafford (C – DAL)

156. Ty Jerome (G – MEM)

The last round is for upside swings, and Hendricks has a ton of upside. He’s the best perimeter defender on the Jazz, and any progression offensively will allow him to be a top-100 producer in nine-cat leagues. He’s not a guarantee, but that’s not what the final round of your draft is for.

Here’s what my full team ended up looking like:

  1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (F – MIL)
  2. Jalen Johnson (F – ATL)
  3. Alperen Sengun (C – HOU)
  4. Pascal Siakam (F – IND)
  5. OG Anunoby (F – NY)
  6. Ausar Thompson (F – DET)
  7. Onyeka Okongwu (C – ATL)
  8. Jalen Suggs (G – ORL)
  9. Brandin Podziemski (G – GS)
  10. Tari Eason (F – HOU)
  11. Isaiah Collier (G – UTA)
  12. Bennedict Mathurin (F – IND)
  13. Taylor Hendricks (F – UTA)

Overall, I was really happy with how this team turned out. The first three rounds were spectacular, and I was able to get a few of my favorite mid-late round targets. As far as the other teams, there was a nice mix of risky swings and value picks, making this an excellent replica of a competitive draft.

Mets vs. Nationals: How to watch on SNY on Sept. 20, 2025

The Mets continue a three-game series against the Nationals at Citi Field on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here’s what to know about the game and how to watch…


Mets Notes

  • Juan Soto is slashing .368/.462/.829 with 10 home runs, three doubles, one triple, 24 RBI and 20 runs over his last 20 games since Aug. 29. During that span, leads the majors in home runs, RBI, SLG, total bases (63) and OPS (1.291, min. 50 plate appearances).
  • Francisco Lindor extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the first inning and finished 3-for-4. His 20 games with three or more hits this season are tied with Trea Turner for the most in the majors.
  • Nolan McLean looks to stay hot, having tossed six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts against the Texas Rangers on Sept. 14
  • Prior to the game, the Mets selected LHP Richard Lovelady to the major league roster and designated RHP Wander Suero for assignment.

NATIONALS
METS
James Wood, LF Francisco Lindor, SS
CJ Abrams, SS Juan Soto, RF
Josh Bell, 1B Pete Alonso, 1B
Daylen Lile, DH Brandon Nimmo, LF
Robert Hassell III, CF Starling Marte, DH
Dylan Crews, RF Jeff McNeil, 2B
Riley Adams, C Francisco Alvarez, C
Brady House, 3B Brett Baty, 3B
Nasim Nunez, 2B Cedric Mullins, CF

What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider’s website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the “Watch” tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the “Games” sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.

Tampa Bay Rays 2025 offseason preview: After a down year for the franchise, what will the Rays’ front office do this winter?

With the Rays eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was in Tampa, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?

This was understandably a difficult season for the Rays, as the team was forced out of Tropicana Field and played its home games at the Yankees’ spring training venue. In the end, the Rays are on pace to finish with their lowest non-COVID win total since 2016, when they went 68-94. That said, there’s a strong case the Rays were better than their record. They should easily finish the campaign with a positive run differential (they’re at +48 as of Sept. 20). And there were some individual performances that will have fans eager for 2026.

Junior Caminero is at the outset of a memorable career. Just 22 years old, Camerino has already surpassed 40 homers and 100 RBI in his first full MLB campaign. For an organization known for developing pitchers, having a superstar hitter in the heart of the lineup for years to come will be incredibly valuable. The next challenge for Caminero will be to rank among baseball’s best batters without the benefit of George M. Steinbrenner Field, as he was much more effective at home than on the road in 2025.

Caminero wasn’t the only Rays hitter who had a strong season. Jonathan Aranda, Yandy Díaz and Brandon Lowe each made a significant impact. The success of Aranda was especially encouraging, considering he entered the season as a 26-year-old with 293 career at-bats who was running out of time to take the next step. Díaz used the power-inducing nature of his temporary home park to post a career-best homer total, while the oft-injured Lowe was selected for the All-Star Game and will finish with his most games played (149) since 2021.

As is typical with the Rays, there were successes on the mound as well. In his first full season since 2023 elbow surgery, Drew Rasmussen was especially effective, albeit without going deep into games. Ryan Pepiot was the team’s workhorse, and Pete Fairbanks continued to be a reliable closer.

The 2025 Rays didn’t have a glaring weakness. They were roughly average in run scoring and run prevention. If there was a sore spot, it was that they placed near the bottom of the league in Fielding Run Value, per Statcast. Lowe and outfielders Chandler Simpson and Christopher Morel were the main culprits.

Although Tampa Bay enjoyed good health in the rotation, Shane Baz was less reliable than expected. That said, Baz didn’t lose velocity, and his strikeout and walk rates resembled his career norms. His ERA estimators suggest that the right-hander was unlucky, and most of his struggles were confined to the team’s hitter-friendly home park. Taj Bradley also struggled — to the point that the organization decided to send him to the minors in July and traded him to Minnesota at the deadline.

While their offense was respectable overall, the Rays struggled to get production from an unsettled outfield group. Morel, Simpson, Josh Lowe, Jake Mangum and Kameron Misner all logged mediocre numbers across substantial amounts of playing time. Simpson could at least offset his below-average plate skills with outstanding base stealing, and Mangum was solid in that area as well. Shortstop was another area of concern, as offseason acquisition Ha-Seong Kim missed much of the season due to multiple injuries and was claimed on waivers by the Braves at the beginning of September. Taylor Walls proved to be a capable defensive replacement but didn’t contribute much at the plate.

The Rays are one of the most creative organizations in baseball, which makes it difficult to predict their offseason movements. Still, there are some spots where the team seems set for 2026. Unfortunately, catcher is not one of them. The team used a pair of 28-year-olds in Hunter Feduccia and Nick Fortes down the stretch, but neither profiles as a permanent solution. The rest of the infield is in good shape. Aranda will play first, and Díaz will be the DH, while Caminero has the hot corner locked up for years to come. Lowe will likely turn double plays with Carson Williams, who debuted down the stretch. Walls’ defensive skills make him a solid reserve player.

The future of the outfield is harder to predict. Simpson should start in left or center field, where the team will live with his poor defensive skills and lack of power in order to have a high-average speedster in the lineup. Josh Lowe is wrapping up a second straight season in which an oblique injury contributed to a disappointing campaign. He will surely get another chance, as he is affordable and just two years removed from producing 20 homers and 32 steals in 2023. Mangum, Misner, Morel and Jonny DeLuca will all compete for the remaining outfield spots, and there’s a good chance the Rays’ front office targets the outfield when making offseason moves.

There are plenty of options for the 2026 rotation, led by Pepiot and Rasmussen. Baz will have a spot, as should Joe Boyle, who showed exciting swing-and-miss abilities and concerning control skills this year. The wild card is Shane McClanahan, who could be one of the best pitchers in the American League if he can finally finish his long road back from Tommy John surgery. It’s concerning that McClanahan was unable to contribute this year and required another surgery in August. Ian Fleming put his name into the 2026 conversation with some effective late-season starts.

The main cogs in the bullpen are under contract for 2026. The team will surely exercise its club option on Fairbanks, who will continue to be the closer. The key setup men will be Edwin Uceta and Griffin Jax, who was acquired from the Twins at the trade deadline. Garrett Cleavinger gives the team an effective lefty for high-leverage situations.

[Get more Tampa Bay news: Rays team feed]

Tampa’s farm system is led by Williams, one of the most exciting position-player prospects in baseball, thanks to his game-changing defensive skills. He also has impressive power and base-stealing abilities. It’s worth noting that his ability to reach base declined significantly when he reached Triple-A, as his frequent strikeouts became a major hurdle. The Rays will take into account his Triple-A performance and late-season major-league audition when deciding if Williams is ready for the 2026 Opening Day roster.

Xavier Isaac was the team’s first-round draft pick in 2022 and appeared to be on his way to a debut this year before he logged an injury-impacted 2025 season in Double-A. He now slots behind Tre’ Morgan, who is knocking on the door after a solid season in Triple-A. Morgan is a unique first-base prospect who has outstanding defensive skills and uses superior on-base abilities to make up for a lack of power. He can also play in the outfield.

The Rays are known for doing a great job with their pitchers, and Brody Hopkins looks to be the next in a long line of success stories. Hopkins was part of the 2025 Futures Game and has shown outstanding swing-and-miss abilities at the Double-A level this year. He should open 2026 in Triple-A and will become a major-league option as soon as he curbs his walk rate.

The pieces are in place for the Rays to halt their postseason absence at two seasons. As mentioned earlier, the team’s run differential this year is a clear indicator that they deserved a better fate in the standings. Still, finishing with a winning record will continue to be a tall task in the always competitive AL East. The Blue Jays are wrapping up a terrific season, the Red Sox have played great in the second half, the Yankees are always a threat, and the Orioles have the talent to quickly rebound from an unexpected losing season.

Tampa Bay’s front office is among the most creative in baseball, so it won’t surprise anyone if president of baseball operations Erik Neander makes some unexpected moves this winter. One of those could be to trade Díaz, who was mentioned in trade rumors at the deadline. Many teams would covet Díaz as an on-base presence atop the lineup, and he could be moved for younger, cheaper players. Brandon Lowe is another trade candidate, as he’s one year away from free agency.

Caminero will headline the Rays’ fantasy contributors, and there will be managers confident enough to select him in the second round. After all, it’s rare to see a 22-year-old rank among the league’s home run leaders. The rest of the team’s hitters will fall to the middle rounds of drafts. Simpson will have polarizing fantasy value. Those in roto leagues will be excited to draft someone who could hit .300 and lead the majors in steals, while those in points formats will leave him until the late rounds due to an expected lack of extra-base hits.

Thanks to his on-base skills, Díaz will be in the opposite situation, as he will be a solid contributor in roto formats and more valuable than that in points leagues. Brandon Lowe will get dinged for his lack of durability but will still be selected near the midpoint of drafts. And in every draft, someone will be willing to take a late-round flyer on Josh Lowe in hopes he can recreate the magic of his 2023 campaign.

Depending on spring training reports, McClanahan could be drafted as a No. 2 fantasy starter or could fall to the late rounds due to persistent injury concerns. The landing spots for Pepiot and Rasmussen are much easier to project, as they will be selected in the range of Rounds 10-12 as No. 3 starters. Baz and Boyle will be boom-or-bust picks in the second half of drafts, and Fairbanks will be a mid-round pick and roughly the 15th reliever off the board.

Tampa Bay Rays 2025 offseason preview: After a down year for the franchise, what will the Rays’ front office do this winter?

With the Rays eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was in Tampa, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?

This was understandably a difficult season for the Rays, as the team was forced out of Tropicana Field and played its home games at the Yankees’ spring training venue. In the end, the Rays are on pace to finish with their lowest non-COVID win total since 2016, when they went 68-94. That said, there’s a strong case the Rays were better than their record. They should easily finish the campaign with a positive run differential (they’re at +48 as of Sept. 20). And there were some individual performances that will have fans eager for 2026.

Junior Caminero is at the outset of a memorable career. Just 22 years old, Camerino has already surpassed 40 homers and 100 RBI in his first full MLB campaign. For an organization known for developing pitchers, having a superstar hitter in the heart of the lineup for years to come will be incredibly valuable. The next challenge for Caminero will be to rank among baseball’s best batters without the benefit of George M. Steinbrenner Field, as he was much more effective at home than on the road in 2025.

Caminero wasn’t the only Rays hitter who had a strong season. Jonathan Aranda, Yandy Díaz and Brandon Lowe each made a significant impact. The success of Aranda was especially encouraging, considering he entered the season as a 26-year-old with 293 career at-bats who was running out of time to take the next step. Díaz used the power-inducing nature of his temporary home park to post a career-best homer total, while the oft-injured Lowe was selected for the All-Star Game and will finish with his most games played (149) since 2021.

As is typical with the Rays, there were successes on the mound as well. In his first full season since 2023 elbow surgery, Drew Rasmussen was especially effective, albeit without going deep into games. Ryan Pepiot was the team’s workhorse, and Pete Fairbanks continued to be a reliable closer.

The 2025 Rays didn’t have a glaring weakness. They were roughly average in run scoring and run prevention. If there was a sore spot, it was that they placed near the bottom of the league in Fielding Run Value, per Statcast. Lowe and outfielders Chandler Simpson and Christopher Morel were the main culprits.

Although Tampa Bay enjoyed good health in the rotation, Shane Baz was less reliable than expected. That said, Baz didn’t lose velocity, and his strikeout and walk rates resembled his career norms. His ERA estimators suggest that the right-hander was unlucky, and most of his struggles were confined to the team’s hitter-friendly home park. Taj Bradley also struggled — to the point that the organization decided to send him to the minors in July and traded him to Minnesota at the deadline.

While their offense was respectable overall, the Rays struggled to get production from an unsettled outfield group. Morel, Simpson, Josh Lowe, Jake Mangum and Kameron Misner all logged mediocre numbers across substantial amounts of playing time. Simpson could at least offset his below-average plate skills with outstanding base stealing, and Mangum was solid in that area as well. Shortstop was another area of concern, as offseason acquisition Ha-Seong Kim missed much of the season due to multiple injuries and was claimed on waivers by the Braves at the beginning of September. Taylor Walls proved to be a capable defensive replacement but didn’t contribute much at the plate.

The Rays are one of the most creative organizations in baseball, which makes it difficult to predict their offseason movements. Still, there are some spots where the team seems set for 2026. Unfortunately, catcher is not one of them. The team used a pair of 28-year-olds in Hunter Feduccia and Nick Fortes down the stretch, but neither profiles as a permanent solution. The rest of the infield is in good shape. Aranda will play first, and Díaz will be the DH, while Caminero has the hot corner locked up for years to come. Lowe will likely turn double plays with Carson Williams, who debuted down the stretch. Walls’ defensive skills make him a solid reserve player.

The future of the outfield is harder to predict. Simpson should start in left or center field, where the team will live with his poor defensive skills and lack of power in order to have a high-average speedster in the lineup. Josh Lowe is wrapping up a second straight season in which an oblique injury contributed to a disappointing campaign. He will surely get another chance, as he is affordable and just two years removed from producing 20 homers and 32 steals in 2023. Mangum, Misner, Morel and Jonny DeLuca will all compete for the remaining outfield spots, and there’s a good chance the Rays’ front office targets the outfield when making offseason moves.

There are plenty of options for the 2026 rotation, led by Pepiot and Rasmussen. Baz will have a spot, as should Joe Boyle, who showed exciting swing-and-miss abilities and concerning control skills this year. The wild card is Shane McClanahan, who could be one of the best pitchers in the American League if he can finally finish his long road back from Tommy John surgery. It’s concerning that McClanahan was unable to contribute this year and required another surgery in August. Ian Fleming put his name into the 2026 conversation with some effective late-season starts.

The main cogs in the bullpen are under contract for 2026. The team will surely exercise its club option on Fairbanks, who will continue to be the closer. The key setup men will be Edwin Uceta and Griffin Jax, who was acquired from the Twins at the trade deadline. Garrett Cleavinger gives the team an effective lefty for high-leverage situations.

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Tampa’s farm system is led by Williams, one of the most exciting position-player prospects in baseball, thanks to his game-changing defensive skills. He also has impressive power and base-stealing abilities. It’s worth noting that his ability to reach base declined significantly when he reached Triple-A, as his frequent strikeouts became a major hurdle. The Rays will take into account his Triple-A performance and late-season major-league audition when deciding if Williams is ready for the 2026 Opening Day roster.

Xavier Isaac was the team’s first-round draft pick in 2022 and appeared to be on his way to a debut this year before he logged an injury-impacted 2025 season in Double-A. He now slots behind Tre’ Morgan, who is knocking on the door after a solid season in Triple-A. Morgan is a unique first-base prospect who has outstanding defensive skills and uses superior on-base abilities to make up for a lack of power. He can also play in the outfield.

The Rays are known for doing a great job with their pitchers, and Brody Hopkins looks to be the next in a long line of success stories. Hopkins was part of the 2025 Futures Game and has shown outstanding swing-and-miss abilities at the Double-A level this year. He should open 2026 in Triple-A and will become a major-league option as soon as he curbs his walk rate.

The pieces are in place for the Rays to halt their postseason absence at two seasons. As mentioned earlier, the team’s run differential this year is a clear indicator that they deserved a better fate in the standings. Still, finishing with a winning record will continue to be a tall task in the always competitive AL East. The Blue Jays are wrapping up a terrific season, the Red Sox have played great in the second half, the Yankees are always a threat, and the Orioles have the talent to quickly rebound from an unexpected losing season.

Tampa Bay’s front office is among the most creative in baseball, so it won’t surprise anyone if president of baseball operations Erik Neander makes some unexpected moves this winter. One of those could be to trade Díaz, who was mentioned in trade rumors at the deadline. Many teams would covet Díaz as an on-base presence atop the lineup, and he could be moved for younger, cheaper players. Brandon Lowe is another trade candidate, as he’s one year away from free agency.

Caminero will headline the Rays’ fantasy contributors, and there will be managers confident enough to select him in the second round. After all, it’s rare to see a 22-year-old rank among the league’s home run leaders. The rest of the team’s hitters will fall to the middle rounds of drafts. Simpson will have polarizing fantasy value. Those in roto leagues will be excited to draft someone who could hit .300 and lead the majors in steals, while those in points formats will leave him until the late rounds due to an expected lack of extra-base hits.

Thanks to his on-base skills, Díaz will be in the opposite situation, as he will be a solid contributor in roto formats and more valuable than that in points leagues. Brandon Lowe will get dinged for his lack of durability but will still be selected near the midpoint of drafts. And in every draft, someone will be willing to take a late-round flyer on Josh Lowe in hopes he can recreate the magic of his 2023 campaign.

Depending on spring training reports, McClanahan could be drafted as a No. 2 fantasy starter or could fall to the late rounds due to persistent injury concerns. The landing spots for Pepiot and Rasmussen are much easier to project, as they will be selected in the range of Rounds 10-12 as No. 3 starters. Baz and Boyle will be boom-or-bust picks in the second half of drafts, and Fairbanks will be a mid-round pick and roughly the 15th reliever off the board.