Tampa Bay Rays - NFBC | High Stakes Fantasy Baseball

Tampa Bay Rays

NFC | High Stakes Fantasy Sports

Overall Standings ADP AAV Teams Players News Scoreboard Standings Injuries Transactions Depth Chart Games Per Week Probable Pitchers

News
Yandy Diaz Yandy Diaz Option vests for 2027 Sat, Oct 31, 2026, 7:29 PM The Rays have formalized the completion of Diaz's $13 million vesting option for 2027, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Analysis: Diaz's contract became eligible to vest when Diaz reached 500 plate appearances in August, but he also needed to finish the campaign healthy for the option to kick in. That indeed happened, and the veteran slugger will now be under contract for $13 million next season. Diaz had another strong campaign in 2026, posting a .293/.359/.446 slash line with 22 home runs, 93 runs, 85 RBI and three stolen bases over 154 regular-season games. He batted .333 with two homers in the ALCS to help lead Tampa Bay to the World Series, though he went just 3-for-20 with only one RBI in five games against Milwaukee as the Rays fell short of the title.
Drew Rasmussen Drew Rasmussen Rays exercise option Sat, Oct 31, 2026, 5:59 PM The Rays exercised Rasmussen's $20 million club option for the 2027 season Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Analysis: Rasmussen made 30 starts in the regular season and spent fewer than 45 days on the injured list in 2026, triggering escalators that elevated the value of his option from $8 million to $20 million. The Rays' decision to bring the 31-year-old back for another season was likely easy despite the price increase, as he posted a 2.67 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across 172 regular-season innings. He also allowed just seven runs in 28.2 frames during the postseason while helping the Rays secure their second American League pennant in seven seasons.
Junior Caminero Junior Caminero In lineup, batting third Wed, Oct 28, 2026, 3:17 PM Caminero (foot) will start at third base and will bat third Wednesday in Game 5 of the World Series against the Brewers. Analysis: A sore right foot in extra innings forced the removal of Caminero from the Rays' Game 4 victory. Per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, manager Kevin Cash noted that Caminero has "been dealing with some lower extremity injuries," but there was no consideration given to excluding the slugger from Wednesday's elimination game. Caminero is slashing .250/.321/.396 with one home run in 13 games this postseason.
Drew Rasmussen Drew Rasmussen Tapped for Game 5 start Wed, Oct 28, 2026, 2:19 PM Rasmussen will start Wednesday in Game 5 of the World Series against the Brewers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Analysis: He'll be taking the ball on three days' rest after throwing 89 pitches over 3.2 innings in Game 2 on Saturday. Rasmussen was knocked around for three runs on six hits and two walks in that outing, but the righty was dominant in his first three starts this postseason in holding a 1.29 ERA with a 23:3 K:BB in 21 frames. He will be opposed by National League Cy Young front-runner Jacob Misiorowski.
Junior Caminero Junior Caminero Expected to be fine for Game 5 Wed, Oct 28, 2026, 8:17 AM Rays manager Kevin Cash said after Tuesday's win over the Brewers that Caminero (foot) is expected to be fine, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Analysis: Caminero was removed for a pinch runner and limped off the field in the bottom of the 12th inning due to a right foot issue. It's unclear whether he underwent any testing, but regardless it doesn't seem to be anything that will keep him out of the lineup for Game 5 on Wednesday as the Rays look to stave off elimination again. Caminero is 3-for-15 with one double and one RBI thus far in the World Series.
Victor Mesa Jr. Victor Mesa Jr. Out of Game 4 lineup Tue, Oct 27, 2026, 3:20 PM Mesa is not in the lineup Tuesday for Game 4 of the World Series versus the Brewers. Analysis: Mesa has had a rough postseason, going 6-for-39 (.154) with a 34.1 percent strikeout rate. He'll begin Tuesday's festivities on the bench but could make an appearance mid-game. Ryan Vilade will start in right field and will bat seventh as the Rays try to stave off elimination.
Freddy Peralta Freddy Peralta Falters versus Brewers Mon, Oct 26, 2026, 11:21 PM Peralta took the loss in Game 3 of the World Series against the Brewers on Monday, giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out four. Analysis: The right-hander dealt with traffic all night, allowing 10 batters to reach before departing with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth inning. All three baserunners came around to score as Milwaukee erupted for an eight-run frame, pushing the lead to 10-0. Peralta had surrendered just two runs across 16.2 postseason innings coming into Monday, though his 12:7 K:BB may have been an indicator of things to come when going up against a Brewers lineup that has chewed up elite starting pitchers all October. Now facing a 3-0 series deficit, the Rays will need to string some wins together for Peralta to have a chance of taking the mound again in 2026.
Griffin Jax Griffin Jax Taking ball for Game 4 Mon, Oct 26, 2026, 10:29 PM Jax will start Game 4 of the World Series against the Brewers on Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Analysis: Jax took the loss in his last playoff start against the Guardians in Game 3 of the ALCS, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two over four innings of work. He'll face a scorching Milwaukee offense Tuesday as the Rays attempt to extend the series after dropping the first three games.
Richie Palacios Richie Palacios Out of Game 3 lineup Mon, Oct 26, 2026, 3:18 PM Palacios is not in the lineup Monday for Game 3 of the World Series versus the Brewers. Analysis: Palacios collected an .864 OPS between the ALDS and ALCS, but he's now started just one of the first three games of the Fall Classic. He will yield to Ben Williamson at second base in Game 3.
Liam Hicks Liam Hicks Not starting Game 3 against southpaw Mon, Oct 26, 2026, 3:12 PM Hicks is absent from the lineup Monday for Game 3 of the World Series against the Brewers. Analysis: The lefty-swinging Hicks homered in Game 2, but he'll begin Monday's festivities on the bench as the Brewers send left-hander Robert Gasser to the hill. Righty bat Nick Fortes will do the catching for the Rays in Game 3.
Jonathan Aranda Jonathan Aranda Taking seat versus lefty Mon, Oct 26, 2026, 3:09 PM Aranda is not in the lineup Monday for Game 3 of the World Series against the Brewers. Analysis: Aranda has reached base five times in the first two games of the series, but the left-handed batter will exit the lineup while the Brewers send a southpaw (Robert Gasser) to the bump. Ryan Vilade will hold down first base and will bat second for the Rays. Aranda is a good bet to enter mid-game Monday once the Brewers have a righty reliever in the contest.
Liam Hicks Liam Hicks Launches two-run homer Sun, Oct 25, 2026, 10:10 AM Hicks went 1-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch and a two-run home run in Game 2 of the World Series against the Brewers on Saturday. Analysis: The 27-year-old extended Tampa Bay's lead to 4-0 with a two-run blast during the first inning, though that finished the scoring for the Rays. Hicks also collected two RBI in Game 1, but that was in much different fashion with a pair of run-scoring groundouts. He went 3-for-20 in his first seven playoff games but has a .976 OPS with five RBI in the past four contests.
Drew Rasmussen Drew Rasmussen Stumbles in Game 2 Sun, Oct 25, 2026, 9:20 AM Rasmussen didn't factor into the decision in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over 3.2 innings. Analysis: Rasmussen was dominant in his first three playoff starts with just three runs allowed and a 23:3 K:BB across 21 innings, but Milwaukee quickly showed why it was able to sweep the Dodgers in the NLCS. The 31-year-old righty was handed a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Brewers got two runs back in the bottom of the frame and scored another in the fourth, chasing him after 89 pitches (56 strikes). Rasmussen now lines up to start a possible Game 6 on Friday, but the Rays will need to win at least two of three games in Tampa Bay to force the series back to Milwaukee.
Richie Palacios Richie Palacios Absent from Game 1 lineup Fri, Oct 23, 2026, 3:25 PM Palacios is not in the lineup Friday for Game 1 of the World Series versus the Brewers. Analysis: Although right-handed batters had just a .582 OPS against righty Jacob Misiorowski, lefties had an even harder time with a .378 OPS. Presumably, that's why the right-handed-hitting Ben Williamson is getting the start at second base over the lefty-swinging Palacios.
Brody Hopkins Brody Hopkins Excluded from World Series roster Fri, Oct 23, 2026, 10:31 AM Hopkins is absent from the Rays' World Series roster, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Analysis: The Rays will carry Garrett Cleavinger in their bullpen instead. Hopkins was part of Tampa Bay's ALC roster, but the rookie right-hander not pitched in a game in nearly a month.
Garrett Cleavinger Garrett Cleavinger Back on roster for World Series Fri, Oct 23, 2026, 10:27 AM The Rays have included Cleavinger on their World Series roster, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Analysis: Cleavinger was on the ALDS roster but ceded his ALCS roster spot to Brody Hopkins, and the two hurlers have now flipped spots again. Neither Cleavinger nor Hopkins have made an appearance this postseason.
Nick Martinez Nick Martinez Chosen as Game 1 starter Thu, Oct 22, 2026, 3:33 PM Martinez will start Game 1 of the World Series in Milwaukee on Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Analysis: Giving Martinez the ball in Game 1 allows ace Drew Rasmussen an extra day of rest, and it pushes Freddy Peralta back to Game 3 at Tropicana Field, where he's posted a 2.03 ERA in five starts in 2026 between the regular and postseason. Both of Martinez's outings this postseason have been on the road, and he's allowed a total of three runs with a 6:3 K:BB over nine innings in those starts. The Brewers will counter with Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1.
Junior Caminero Junior Caminero Finally goes deep in Game 6 Tue, Oct 20, 2026, 10:09 AM Caminero went 2-for-3 with a walk, a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Game 6 of the ALCS versus Cleveland on Monday. Analysis: The 23-year-old extended Tampa Bay's lead to 5-1 with a two-run shot in the seventh inning, his first home run of the postseason. Caminero entered the contest with a .636 OPS through eight playoff games, but his Game 6 performance boosted his slash line to .273/.351/.455 in 43 plate appearances this postseason. With the Rays now headed to the World Series, he may have found his power stroke just in time.
Yandy Diaz Yandy Diaz Homers again in Game 6 Tue, Oct 20, 2026, 9:47 AM Diaz went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Game 6 of the ALCS against the Guardians on Monday. Analysis: Diaz now has an extra-base hit in four straight postseason contests, going 7-for-18 with three doubles, two homers, four RBI and five runs during that span. The 35-year-old's homer Monday provided some key insurance runs late, pushing Tampa Bay's lead to 7-3 in the eighth inning to help secure a World Series berth. Diaz has a .906 OPS in 41 plate appearances during the postseason.
Freddy Peralta Freddy Peralta Earns ALCS MVP honors Mon, Oct 19, 2026, 10:35 PM Peralta was named the MVP of the ALCS after picking up the win in Game 6 against the Guardians on Monday. He allowed one run on five hits and three walks while striking out three over 5.1 innings. Analysis: Peralta delivered a pair of strong starts in the ALCS, resulting in two victories. Before taking the mound to clinch the series Monday, the 30-year-old right-hander earned the win in Game 2, fanning six across six scoreless innings of work in a 3-1 victory. Peralta also recorded two outs without allowing a run in Game 4 out of the bullpen. He'll now set his sights on facing his former club in the World Series and could line up for a start in Game 2 on Saturday.