Rays teammates ‘excited’ for Chandler Simpson’s arrival

Rookie Chandler Simpson has eight career games to his name, but the newest member of the Tampa Bay Rays has made the most of them.

Tampa is 6-2 since calling up its electric centerfielder, who is hitting .400 with three stolen bases in that time. His teammates are taking notice.

“Everybody knew the speed element coming in,” shortstop Taylor Walls told FanDuel TV on Sunday following the team’s three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres. “But I think in all three phases — baserunning, offensively and defensively — he’s made a huge impact.”

“I know everybody in the clubhouse is excited to have him here,” Walls continued. “Obviously, a lot of this run, this five-game win streak, is due to him. So if he can stay playing like that, we should win a lot of ballgames.”

Simpson’s infusion of energy has brought the Rays back to .500 at 14-14 as of Tuesday.

His manager has noticed exactly what the 24-year-old has brought to the team. With a .462 average on balls in play and a strikeout percentage of only 12.1%, he’s proving his worth, even in a small sample size.

“It’s a skill-set that we probably haven’t seen as much over time in recent years. I think we’re certainly excited to see what we learn from it,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said, per Adam Berry of MLB.com. “His combination of speed and bat-to-ball is unique, and I think it can really help anyone.”

As for Simpson, he doesn’t lack for confidence, but added that he appreciates the recognition from around the organization. While he has climbed the ladder through the minor leagues, he has had to answer questions about whether his skills will translate to a higher level. So far, the answer is yes.

“I appreciate the recognition of the gift that I have and the fact that I can still cause havoc at this level and the fact that I can make it a problem for the pitchers, and they will have problems pitching to the guys behind me,” he said.