Winning (and winning) the way of the Rays
Tampa Bay is playing in its second World Series as part of a remarkable run on a shoestring budget. How have the Rays done it?
The Tampa Bay Rays have turned winning on a shoestring budget into an art form, with perhaps their finest effort coming this season.
The Rays had the third-lowest opening day payroll in Major League Baseball this season at just over $28.2 million, according to Spotrac. Only the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles had a lower total.
Yet the Rays finished the regular season with a 40-20 record – the best in the American League – and they validated it with victories over the Toronto Blue Jays ($54.5M), New York Yankees ($109.4M) and Houston Astros ($82.5M) on their way to the second World Series berth in franchise history.
Behind the numbers
Let’s take a look at how the Rays have put their pennantwinning roster together without breaking the bank.
First of all, this year’s payroll numbers are a little different from other seasons because players were paid their salaries on a prorated basis over 60 games, rather than the usual 162.
That means starting pitcher Charlie Morton – the Rays’ highest-paid player with a salary of $15 million – is being paid roughly $5.56 million this season.
The Rays have gotten an exceptional return on their investment after signing Morton to a two-year, $30 million deal before the 2019 season. He has posted an 18-8 record and 3.33 ERA in two seasons but has been amazing in the playoffs.
Morton has gone 5-0 in five playoff starts with the Rays, allowing just two earned runs in 25 2⁄ innings (0.70 ERA) – in
3 cluding his 5 2⁄ scoreless frames
3 in Game 7 of the ALCS against Houston.
Morton is one of just two Rays players with annual salaries of $10 million or more this season. The other is center fielder Kevin Kiermaier at $10.16 million.
The Rays also maintain considerable payroll flexibility with only three players under contract beyond next season. Kiermaier is signed through 2022 (with an option for 2023), lefthander Blake Snell is signed through 2023 and infielder/outfielder Brandon Lowe through 2024 (with two option years).
Mid-tier value
The Rays didn’t sign any major free agents of Morton’s caliber this past offseason but added some key pieces. DH Yoshi Tsutsugo and relievers Aaron Loup and John Curtiss were under-the-radar signings who’ve been part of their playoff roster.
Trades also helped strengthen the Rays. They picked up arbitration-eligible outfielders Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe in deals with the San Diego Padres. And perhaps most important, they acquired ALCS MVP Randy Arozarena from the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pre-arbitration production
Arozarena perhaps typifies the kind of player the Rays have relied on to raise their level of play. He’s among many young players on the roster who don’t have enough major league experience to qualify for arbitration. As a result, they’re all making close to the major league minimum salary.
They include: h Starting 1B Ji-Man Choi h Starting SS Willy Adames h Starting 3B Joey Wendle h OF/DH Austin Meadows h 1B Yandy Diaz h IF (and ALDS hero) Mike
Brosseau h LHP Ryan Yarbrough Plus, bullpen stalwarts Nick Anderson, Pete Fairbanks and Diego Castillo
It’s a testament to the creativity and flexibility of general manager Erik Neander and the Rays front office staff that they’ve been able to assemble a winning roster despite the constraints of the Rays’ small-market budget.
Their World Series opponent will have a substantial payroll advantage. The Los Angeles Dodgers ($107.9 million) ranked second behind the Yankees in total payroll this season, while the Atlanta Braves ($63 million) ranked 14th.