TAMPA, Fla. – Throughout their history, the Tampa Bay Rays have engaged several which helped turn fortunes. Influence-makers like Wade Boggs, Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria, Blake Snell, James Shields and Ben Zobrist among others, proved to be as productive to their team and disruptive to opponents.
Now, it appears that Chandler Simpson, at 24 years old, has an opportunity to eclipse those before him.
Probably for the first time in the club’s history, the Rays can send a true table-setter to the plate. With only eight games at the major league level (prior to the Rays’ three-game series with Kansas City beginning April 29), Simpson turned heads and worried the competition. With his ability to slap the baseball around the diamond and complement with intelligent and daring speed, Simpson quickly provided the Rays with a catalyst to jump-start what was a languishing and waning offense.
Since joining the Rays on April 18, he hit safely in the first eight games of his major league career, entered the Royals series with a .400 batting average (12-for-30) and three stolen bases.
“Whenever I came to the plate, I want everybody, all nine players on the field, to be terrified,” Simpson said before Tuesday’s series opener against Kansas City. “Whenever I put the ball in play, they will have to rush. I feel I’m in scoring position when I hit first base. So, I want the pitchers, the catchers, everybody, to be in a rush.”
Speed is Simpson’s calling card.
In 233 minor league games, between 2022 and last season, Simpson was a terror on the bases. In those 233 games, he stole 206 bases, including 81 in 2023 for Charlestown in the South Atlantic League. There, Simpson, a native of Atlanta, and in the Best Tools survey, earned the Best Baserunner, Fastest Baserunner and possessed the Best Strike-Zone Judgment in the Southern League.
From the plate to first base, Simpson has been timed at 3.90 seconds and that is the fastest thus far for the 2025 season. Through his opening days around major league baseball, teams will figure out how to pitch to Simpson, cautioned Rays starter Drew Rasmussen. To counter, Simpson will discover adjustments and ways to use his speed.
“The challenges (Simpson) presents is a refusal to strike out,” Rasmussen told reporters before start of the Kansas City series. “Once he puts the ball in play, that gives him an opportunity to turn that into a hit. He doesn’t seem to hit too many balls super high in the air. It seems simple for opposing pitchers to try and elevate and beat him with high velocity) high in the strike zone. That might play into his hand and allow him to hit something on a line. Once he’s on first base, it’s chaos and a nightmare.”
In the opening contest of the brief three game set with Kansas City at George Steinbrenner Field, Simpson had no opportunity to demonstrate his value during Tampa Bay’s 3-1 defeat to the Royals. For the first time in his brief tenure, Simpson went hitless, and his 0-5 night brought his batting average down to .345 for his opening nine games. To identify Simpson as a table sitter, the Rays developed little in the way of offense and that left Simpson vulnerable. With his penchant to slap the ball around the diamond, four of his five outs went on the ground, and the only ball in the air was a fly to right in the third.
All of which forced Rays manager Kevin Cash to turn the clock back to earlier this season.
“We just have to be better when the opportunities come,” Cash told reporters afterward. “We have to find a way to come up with the big hit. We did during the recent trip (winning five of six against the Diamondbacks and Padres). We did not do that (Tuesday night). I trust the guys will bounce back and find ways to get big hits with runners on base.”
On the diamond … The Rays wasted a quality start from right-hander Taj Bradley, whose record dropped to 2-2. In going seven strong innings, his longest of the season, Bradley allowed five hits, two runs, and tossed 101 pitches, the second highest of the season. After the game, Bradley acknowledged the narrow loss is “part of the game” but stressed the importance of this outing. “I’m going deep into the game and forget the strikeouts,” he said. “Go seven? I can’t do anything about a strikeout. If I’m able to get hitters out with weak contact and double-play balls in my favor, I’m happy about that.” … The only run in this 3-1 loss was a homer from Junior Caminero against Royals’ starter Michael Lorenzen leading off the fourth inning. From that point, the Rays could put only five more runners on base for the rest of the game. … the series resumes Wednesday night. The Royals have not announced a starter while Cash will hand the ball to right-hander Drew Rasmussen (1-1, 2.10 ERA). The series concludes with a Thursday matinee. Look for righty Seth Lugo (2-3, 3.08) to face the Rays’ Shane Baz (3-0, 2.45).