It’s disappointing that we didn’t get more minor league action for Wander Franco, but he is so far advanced at such a young age that he probably can shrug off a missed development year better than most. ZiPS has projected much better rookie seasons than Franco’s projection here, but none of them were for players who had yet to play in Double-A.

I expect this to be a fairly quiet offseason for the Rays, at least when it comes to the offense. The only free agents were the catchers (Zunino and Kevan Smith) and Hunter Renfroe, who seemed almost superfluous on such a deep roster. Except for a second catcher, this has the look of a fairly “finished” offense.

Pitchers

More than most, the top comps for Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow feel appropriate (Barry Zito, Juan Guzman). Snell has a great curve, and you can see the San Francisco Giants giving him a giant contract someday that doesn’t work out. And like Glasnow, Guzman was an explosive young pitcher who suffered from nagging injuries and spells when he was somewhat erratic. Nobody’s safe from trade when they’re in Tampa, but despite the occasional whispers about a Snell move, I expect both to start 2021 with the Rays in light of the loss of Charlie Morton.

The Rays aren’t going to sign Trevor Bauer, but looking at the rotation, it really feels like they need to make an out-of-organization addition to replace the departed Morton, a key member of the rotation. Michael Wacha was added to the mix on a one-year deal right before these projections hit the printing press, but he’s also not been himself since 2018, and brings more question marks than exclamation points. Neither Snell nor Glasnow possess unblemished health records, and the rotation depth feels a little thin. Brendan McKay‘s recovering from a torn labrum, and both his 2021 availability and performance are unknown at this point. Brent Honeywell Jr. is expected to be ready for spring training, but his four elbow surgeries since 2017 outnumber his innings pitched over that span (zero). Even if you’re hopeful about his recovery, you can’t mark down his innings in permanent marker any more than you can McKay’s. Screwball pitchers are supposed to get at least a few years in the majors before ruining their arms!

It’s unclear whether the Rays will really try Ryan Yarbrough as a regular starter, but if they do, he’s still unproven in that role. It’s an opportunity for someone like Josh Fleming, a pitcher whose limited stuff curbs his upside but who could fill a valuable niche as an innings-eater here. Without a depth signing or two, I’d really like to see Shane McClanahan get an extended shot in the rotation, even if it’s only of the “four-inning special” variety. I might like to see that in any case.

The bullpen remains rock-solid, though a couple of the names at the back could use some upgrades. Nick Anderson, Diego Castillo, Cody Reed, and Pete Fairbanks all project with an ERA+ north of 120, with Jose Alvarado and non-roster invitee Andrew Kittredge right behind. And that’s with two more relievers close to 120, Aaron Loup and Oliver Drake, being unsigned free agents! ZiPS sees John Curtiss, Ryan Thompson, and Ryan Sherriff as the weak links here. Even without upgrades to the last few players here, though, this bullpen should compete to be the best in baseball.