Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Breaking Down Rays' Biggest Question Heading into Spring Training

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 7:00 AM ET

Pitchers and catchers have arrived for the Tampa Bay Rays, and they will be starting up spring training very soon. However, this team has quite a few questions that need to be answered in the coming weeks.

It was a very busy offseason for the Rays as expected. Tampa Bay is no stranger to being busy and trying to get the most out of their roster. That was undoubtedly the case with the team, which made numerous trades both for the future and to help in 2026.

Furthermore, the team was also very active in free agency. While payroll isn’t expected to jump much until the new stadium is built, Tampa Bay did add some veterans who should help make a positive impact on the team.

Even though it was a busy offseason and the Rays made a lot of moves, they will have some serious question marks heading into spring training.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the biggest question for the Rays heading into spring training being whether or not they will miss Brandon Lowe.

Replacing Lowe’s Production Will Be Hard

While it wasn’t a surprise that Tampa Bay traded Lowe this winter after picking up his team option, replacing him is going to be a challenge. Following the trade that sent him to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Rays then made a deal with the Cincinnati Reds to acquire second baseman Gavin Lux.

The former top prospect of the Los Angeles Dodgers hasn’t quite lived up to high expectations, but he has been a solid player in the majors. However, given that Lowe was an All-Star in 2025 and one of the best offensive players at the position, Lux is simply not going to replicate those numbers.

While Lux will be taking over at second base, replacing Lowe’s offensive production is likely to have to come from some other positions. The Rays were focused on improving their outfield this winter, and veteran Cedric Mullins has been a solid slugger over the course of his career. While he really struggled with the New York Mets in the second half last year, he has the ability to hit 20 home runs in a season.

Losing Lowe is certainly going to be felt offensively, and it is hard to find on the roster where they will be able to replace his production. If the Rays are unable to, it's hard to imagine that they will be a contender in 2026.