ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Given the evolution of this season, the Tampa Bay Rays appeared a shell of a once, highly competitive franchise. In several games, the offense was non-existent and the pitching, especially the starting rotation, was mediocre at best.
These two elements of the Rays’ frustrating season came to a crashing crescendo during the last weekend of July. That’s when Eric Neander, the team’s director of baseball operation, traded a struggling pitcher and underachiever outfielder. Both represented the maladies that plagued the franchise from opening day on March 28 against Toronto.
Both deals featured players whom Neander and Kevin Cash, the field manager, hoped would carry the Rays. The goal, as with all teams, is to transcend through the post-season and arrive in the promised land of a World Series. Neither player fulfilled such promises and now it’s a creation to “square one.”
First, Neander dealt opening-day starter Zach Eflin to AL East-division rival Baltimore and then traded outfielder Randy Arozarena to Seattle. In exchange for Arozarena, the Rays received prospects outfielder Aiden Smith, righthander Brody Hopkins and a player to be named later. For Eflin, the Rays received prospects infielder/outfielder Mac Horvath righthander Jackson Baumeister, and outfielder Matthew Etzel.
“I’m very excited about the players that we’re going to be getting back,” Neander told MLB.com. “As much as it hurts to lose Randy and Zach and what they’ve meant to us, that hurt should speak to the excitement we have for the returns coming back, because it would take only something that we were really excited about to make these kinds of moves.”
With Eflin and Arozarena, two highly profiled players and considered core elements, the nature of patience appeared to have been a considerable factor.
From the start of the season, Arozarena struggling and never broke from his slumber. As late as June 15 against Atlanta, he was battling .174 and at the time of the trade to Seattle, he lifted his batting average to only .211 (74-for-250). During the first half of the season, Cash encouraged Arozarena but, at one point, asked if the team considered sending the native of Mexico to the minors. “No,” was the manager’s definitive answer.
Each time, Cash would simply reply, “we’ll support him in every way we can.” That “support” came to an end at the trade deadline, and was characterized by disappointment and failure. Arozarena remained a fan favorite and had his own cheering section during each Friday night game in the right field stands.
Over the past several seasons, there was a noticeable decline in Arozarena’s production. From a career high batting average of .281 in 2020, he subsequently dropped to .274, .263 and .254 in consecutive seasons. His dreadful start to the 2024 season told the Rays’ decision-makers that his career was clearly trending in the wrong direction.
In concert with his 5-7 mark and a 4.09 ERA in 19 starts with Tampa this season, Eflin spent time on the IR with back issues. During the season, Eflin could only produce five wins, and that lack of production was telling.
With the departure of Eflin, the starting rotation continues to be marginal. From the start of the season, the Rays have dealt two-thirds of the rotation. In addition to Eflin, Neander traded Aaron Civale to Milwaukee earlier this summer.
Now, Cash has Taj Bradley, Zack Littell, Shane Baz, and a corral of relievers as “openers” to handle the rotation.
Coming into play July 27 at home against Cincinnati, the Rays were a ,500 team (52-52) and five games from a wild card spot. For the team to remain competitive down the stretch, the offense will have to pick Arozarena, and starters must find ways to win games and give Cash length on the mound.