It’s no secret that the Rays need to upgrade their shortstop for next season. Their shortstops were amongst the worst hitters in the majors, ranking 28/30 in wOBA with 263. For those wondering at home, that’s .001 points better than the 30th ranked team. There aren’t that many quality shortstops available in free agency, so the Rays aren’t likely to go this route. Jimmy Rollins is an above average SS, but given his asking price there’s not a chance the Rays can take sign him. It’s possible that the Rays start the season with Sean Rodriguez at short, but he’s much better suited to 2B. So who should the Rays be looking at to fill the position?
Maicer Izturis. The Angels utility infielder is a pending free agent, making $3.8 million. So he’ll clearly fit into the Rays budget. He was a league average hitter last season, hitting 276/334/388 and earning 2 WAR over a career high 122 games. He’s a solid defender, and his ability to play ...
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