Tampa Bay Rays 2025 Season Preview

The Tampa Bay Rays had a down year in 2024, winning 80 games and finishing under .500. It marked the first time since 2017 the Rays had finished with that bad of a mark and it was the same record they had in ‘17. They were in fourth place in the AL East and dropped 19 wins from 2023. Is a rebound in order or will this team wallow toward the bottom of the division? It will not be easy to turn things around in a difficult division where the Red Sox, Yankees, and Orioles all figure to be strong.

2025 Tampa Bay Rays Win Total Projection & World Series Odds

Looking at the World Series odds as the season approaches, MLB news has the Rays at +5000. That’s an honest assessment of a team that would be considered a long shot to have MLB experts picks see them doing enough to make the postseason.

The regular-season wins total set at BetUS is 81½. That figure tells you 2025 could be a lot like 2024 but there aren’t many MLB playoff predictions that think enough wins are in reach to menace the division.

2025 Tampa Bay Rays Projected Starting Lineup

Lineup via MLB.com

• Yandy Díaz, DH
• Brandon Lowe, 2B
• Junior Caminero, 3B
• Josh Lowe, RF
• Christopher Morel, LF
• Jonathan Aranda, 1B
• Danny Jansen, C
• Jonny DeLuca, CF
• Taylor Walls, SS.

Lineup Strengths and Weaknesses

Many of the names remain the same from the 2024 season. That’s not an endorsement for those who make MLB playoff predictions to chirp about the Rays playing baseball in October. A player who led the AL in steals and was caught stealing more than any player, Jose Caballero is now going to be a utility player. That’s because Taylor Walls takes over at shortstop. Walls had 16 steals compared to Caballero’s 44 in 2024.

The Rays stole 178 bases last season and their speed was a serious nuisance to other MLB teams. Seven players reached double figures in steals for a team that was led in home runs by second baseman Brandon Lowe with 21. In this power-or-strikeout baseball world, 147 homers over an entire season isn’t going to put a scare into any opponent.

Missing from the lineup will be Ha-Seong Kim, who was a San Diego Padre but is rehabbing from shoulder surgery.

There is another huge factor that plays into the 2025 Rays season. Tropicana Field was ravaged and damaged by a hurricane in the offseason. There was no way to fix the rook and venue in time for this season. So, the Rays will play at 11,000-seat George Steinbrenner Field when at home. Yes, the biggest of MLB injuries to hit this team is their stadium is on the DL for now and forever.

How will calling the Yankees’ spring training stadium home impact Tampa? It could turn into a huge home-field advantage if the fans come out with fervor. It could also be depressing if the season goes, um, further South, and the Rays play in front of empty seats in a spring training venue.

Players also have to be thinking about what the future holds. Imagine being in the Rays’ lineup or roster knowing a stadium deal is not happening and not knowing where the team will call home after this year. Talk about a major league distraction.

Tampa Bay Rays Projected Starting Rotation

Per MLB.com:

1. Shane McClanahan, LHP
2. Drew Rasmussen, RHP
3. Ryan Pepiot, RHP
4. Shane Baz, RHP
5. Taj Bradley, RHP

The Rays have solid starters. However, three of them won eight games each last season. And the others accounted for 11 wins. Blame it on a lack of offense all you want but Kevin Cash has a difficult job getting enough innings out of players who have an injury history and managing to keep them healthy over 162 games. Between keeping everyone focused on where home is and will be, and keeping his pitchers sound, Cash might need to also be a physical therapist and psychologist.

Projected Bullpen

Per MLB.com: Pete Fairbanks, Edwin Uceta, Manuel Rodríguez, Garrett Cleavinger, Kevin Kelly, Alex Faedo, Mason Montgomery

Well, there is good news and bad news. The bad news as mentioned above is no one knows how many innings starters will deliver. The good news is there are plenty of pitchers in the bullpen who can throw quality innings in relief when called upon. Fairbanks had 23 saves last season. Cleavinger and Kelly combined for 130.2 innings. If that doesn’t tell you how flawed the starters are and how dependable the bullpen is, nothing does.

Tampa Bay Rays Schedule and Key Matchups

People looking at MLB matchups will notice something immediately about the Rays’ schedule. Not sure whether it is venue availability – the Yankees’ minor league team also calls the stadium home – but Tampa Bay plays 19 of its first 22 games at home.

That’s a massive chance to build the home base and get off to a fast and furious start and make a statement in the AL East. It’s also a chance for the bottom to fall out but let’s be optimistic when it comes to MLB predictions.

The price one pays for all that home cooking comes around in July, bridging the All-Star break. The Rays will be on the road for 17 of 23 games. That involves trips to Minnesota, Detroit, Boston, Cincinnati and Yankee Stadium. It is a good thing the All-Star break will give the team a chance to catch its collective breath.

August isn’t much friendlier home series against the Dodgers and Yankees sandwiching a 12-game West Coast swing.

There are two seven-game homestands in September. That is negated by ending the season with two three-game sets at Baltimore and Toronto. Manager Cash has his work cut out with everything swirling around the present and future.