Potential Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day Lineups

Opening Day is just around the corner, and that means baseball games with results that matter. Not that Spring Training isn’t a blast, but these games count—no ties or cut-offs in the top of the 9th, no pitcher re-entries.

Potential Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day Lineups

It’s time for the games actually to matter. And with that comes certain decisions teams have to make.

With Gavin Lux headed to the IL to start the year and other guys getting roster spots, here are some lineup predictions.

Now, lineup construction is a nebulous thing. There isn’t as much of an advantage in where a manager puts guys. As long as it’s not silly (like putting Carson Williams in the leadoff spot), it’s generally fine to put guys wherever they’re most comfortable.

The Opening Day starter the Rays will face is former Rays prospect, lefty Matthew Liberatore. So, the first handedness lineup to start with will be versus left-handed pitching.

Lineup vs. LHP

1. Yandy Díaz – DH
2. Jonathan Aranda – 1B
3. Junior Caminero – 3B
4. Ryan Vilade – RF
5. Cedric Mullins – CF
6. Jonny DeLuca – LF
7. Ben Williamson – 2B
8. Carson Williams – SS
9. Nick Fortes – C

When facing southpaws, things get a bit thinner in the middle of the lineup. That top is still very good and will be the same against righties (spoiler alert).

The 4-9 range is where it gets a bit dicey. Ryan Vilade is out of options, and the Rays traded for him for a reason. Whether he works out or not, they have more reason to give him an extended runway.

There’s a chance they decide to play Chandler Simpson or Richie Palacios over Cedric Mullins. Both have about even split versus both lefties and righties. If anything, Palacios is even better versus lefties than righties with his weird reverse-platoon self. So, he could slot in over Mullins and shift Jonny DeLuca to center.

But the Rays are paying Mullins a lot more money than Palacios. They could see Mullins as a potential trade chip at the deadline. Their incentives might align more with giving Mullins a more everyday role.

As for Ben Williamson and Carson Williams, they’re relatively locked in versus lefties. Although if Palacios needs to hit against lefties, Williamson could be more of a roving utility bench player.

Nick Fortes provides more defense than Hunter Feduccia. Williamson is their best defender at second. And DeLuca on the left is a wonderful commodity for any fly-ball pitchers. So while this lineup versus lefties lacks a bit in offense, they’ll be defensively stout.

Lineup vs. RHP

1. Yandy Díaz – DH
2. Jonathan Aranda – 1B
3. Junior Caminero – 3B
4. Cedric Mullins – CF
5. Jake Fraley – RF
6. Hunter Feduccia – C
7. Richie Palacios – 2B
8. Carson Williams – SS
9. Chandler Simpson – CF

For the lineup versus righties, the 1-5 area is locked in. Jake Fraley and Mullins could switch spots, and that would be fine.

Hunter Feduccia being placed as high as 6 might be eye-popping to some folks. If Palacios ends up there instead, it’d be understandable.

The thought process behind Williams at 8 and Simpson at 9 is about their on-base ability. Simpson will simply be getting there more often. The ideal situation is that Simpson gets on base to set up rallies for the top of the lineup. Williams lacks that quality and will struggle to post an OBP of .300. Simpson might have a .300 batting average.

Clearly, there’s a bit more upside to this lineup when facing righties. Jonathan Aranda still crushes righties. Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz have their warts, but that has more to do with launch angle stuff and less to do with facing certain pitchers.

Replacing Josh Lowe with Fraley should make for an interesting development. Fraley can stay on the field, but lacks the upside of Lowe. Brandon Lowe will be sorely missed, and Lux will eventually fill in for Palacios at second.

The hope would be that Palacios plays well enough for the Rays to have to make a difficult choice at that spot.

Either way, the Rays’ lineup options are versatile. It remains to be seen if they will be productive enough offensively to support what should be a solid pitching staff.