Why Chandler Simpson is Rays' most improved player

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- If Major League Baseball had a Most Improved Player Award, Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson would be on top of the list. 

It was May 30, 2025. Simpson was optioned to Triple-A Durham because he was a liability with the glove. He will be the first to tell you that he wasn’t locked in when balls came his way. Simpson was more concerned about what he did in the batter’s box. By the time the 2025 season came to an end, Simpson recorded -9 defensive runs saved. 

But this year has been a different story. He recorded an eight in that same category. First-base coach Corey Dickerson helped Simpson with his mental approach on defense. Dickerson made sure Simpson was locked in and attentive when it came to the early work and ready for every ball that came his way.

“C.D. has been a great help to me this year, just staying on my mentality and (attention) to detail ... just being prepared as possible every day,” Simpson told reporters. 

Chandler Simpson is doing it all for the Rays

Simpson is doing more than just playing defense. He came close to winning the American League batting title this past season, finishing second behind Yordan Alvarez with a .306 batting average. Simpson also led the AL in multi-hit games (56) and singles (153). 

Warning to opposing infielders: Don’t play behind the bag when Simpson is in the batter’s box. He had 61 infield hits this season, according to Baseball Savant, the fourth-most in a single season during the pitch-tracking era (since 2008) and was two shy of tying Ichiro Suzuki (63, 2009) for third most and four shy of tying Ichiro (65, 2010) for the most in a single season. It looks like small ball is back — at least in the Rays organization anyway. 

“It's a part of the game,” Simpson said. “I'm glad that everybody is kind of waking up again to the fact that it can be a part of winning ballgames. Not saying that homers are not. You definitely need the power game, as well. But small ball helps to set that up, as well.”

One person who appreciates Simpson’s skills in the batter’s box is manager Kevin Cash. The skipper likes the way Simpson has made adjustments with the stick.    

“There was a stretch there, I can't remember the exact date, but it feels like ... May or June that the league started to make an adjustment on him and it was kind of his turn to show he was going to be able to withstand this? They're pitching (him) a little bit differently. They're defending him a little bit differently. He definitely withstood it and came out better for it.”     

All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.