Jun 24, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) talks with the media before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

Breaking Down Rays' Current Standing in American League East

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 1:00 PM ET

It has been a hectic offseason for the Tampa Bay Rays, but since the holidays, things have cooled down a bit.

With the calendar rolling into January, there are a number of top free agents still available, and the market has appeared to have come to a bit of a standstill. With the top prize in free agency still available, where Kyle Tucker signs is undoubtedly going to have a significant impact on the league.

The All-Star slugger is the caliber of player that can move the needle for a team, and Tampa Bay will be hoping that it isn’t the Toronto Blue Jays that sign him. Furthermore, things have been relatively quiet for both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Despite being playoff teams last year, they have yet to make sizable improvements, and each team has a key free agent still on the market.

One team that has been aggressive in improving is the Baltimore Orioles. Coming off a disappointing campaign in 2025, they have made some significant improvements led by Pete Alonso that they hope will get them back into title contention. For the Rays, they have been active, but whether or not they can compete is a tricky question right now.

Thomas Harrigan of MLB recently wrote about the Rays being a team that shouldn’t be overlooked in the American League East.

Can Rays Compete?

If Tampa Bay were in some other divisions, this would likely be a more straightforward answer. However, they are in arguably the most challenging division in baseball, and a couple of the teams in the division that are expected to make big splashes still haven’t yet.

While the Rays can’t control what the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays do, they have made moves that indicate a desire to compete with the signings of Cedric Mullins and Steven Matz. Adding these two veteran players filled needs on the team and certainly were moves to improve in 2026.

However, with the recent trades that sent Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz elsewhere, the team then took a step back. Just like the other teams in the division still have time and options to improve, so do the Rays.

If the offseason ended today, they would likely be in a bit of trouble, especially offensively. However, they will still have chances to improve, and the next couple of weeks should paint a clearer picture for the team.