Two key questions facing new Rays owner Patrick Zalupski

Patrick Zalupski has formally taken management of the Tampa Bay Rays. MLB homeowners unanimously permitted his $1.7 billion buy of the staff from Stuart Sternberg in late September. Zalupski is scheduled for a information convention on Tuesday, but it surely seems one key choice has already been made. 

President of baseball operations Erik Neander will stay in his position because the staff’s top-ranking baseball govt. 

Neander first joined the group as a baseball operations intern in January 2007 and held a number of titles earlier than being promoted to the highest job in February 2018. The Rays are 668-526 (.559 successful share) within the eight seasons since and have gone to the playoffs 5 instances, together with reaching the World Collection in 2020. 

Supervisor Kevin Money — the longest tenured supervisor within the Majors — and most of his teaching employees are additionally anticipated to return. Assistant hitting coach Brady North has reportedly been provided an alternate position throughout the group. The Rays hit .251/.313/.401 as a staff this previous season, ending fifteenth in runs scored (714). 

Now that Zalupski has assumed management of the group, a number of key choices might want to take precedence. 

The Rays must safe a brand new stadium

Tropicana Subject was unusable this previous season after the intensive harm brought on by Hurricane Milton, forcing the staff to hunt choices elsewhere. An settlement was reached to make use of George M. Steinbrenner Subject, house of the Yankees’ Class-A Tampa Tarpons, but it surely solely lined the 2025 season. Repairs to Tropicana Subject are anticipated to be full in time for the Rays to return subsequent spring. 

The staff’s settlement with town runs by means of the 2028 season. Whereas it stays doable that an extension of some form is reached, it appears doubtless that Zalupski and the manager advisory group he’s assembling will discover choices to finance and construct a brand new stadium. 

Hurricane Milton did not simply harm Tropicana Subject and components of Tampa, but it surely wreaked havoc on Sternberg’s efforts to get a brand new stadium constructed. An settlement was in place for a $1.3 billion advanced that would come with a resort, workplaces, and retail area across the stadium and would assist revitalize a part of downtown Tampa. Metropolis officers had been scheduled to vote on $600 million in funding for the challenge, however when that vote was delayed, it triggered important modifications to the timeline and value. 

The elevated prices solely fueled an already-tenuous relationship between Sternberg and town, whereas finally contributing to his eventual choice (and the general public strain he obtained) to promote the staff. It is unclear what sort of relationship Zalupski has with metropolis officers or how that can influence efforts to acquire public funding for a brand new challenge. 

The Rays want to increase Junior Caminero

The group doesn’t spend huge on payroll. They by no means have; it is the hallmark of a franchise that appears to win regardless of being outspent by practically each different staff. There is no such thing as a option to know if that pattern will proceed beneath Zalupski. Till the staff makes some huge signings, it is nothing greater than hope. 

The apparent place to begin is with third baseman Junior Caminero. The 22-year-old batted .264/.311/.535 (131 OPS+) with 45 HR and 110 RBI this 12 months, whereas going to his first All-Star Sport (the place he additionally placed on a present through the Residence Run Derby, ending second to Cal Raleigh). 

Caminero has two years of staff management earlier than reaching arbitration, however there is not any purpose the Rays should not signal him to an extension now. Discovering an acceptable comparable is the place issues get tough. Two gamers come to thoughts as a place to begin, nonetheless, primarily based on their age and early manufacturing: Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio and Crimson Sox infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela. 

Milwaukee and Chourio agreed to an eight-year, $82 million extension earlier than he even made his MLB debut. Boston signed Rafaela to an eight-year, $50 million deal. 

This previous summer season, Boston additionally signed outfielder Roman Anthony to an eight-year, $130 million extension. 

Eight years looks as if the proper place to begin for Caminero, which might finally purchase out three free agent years. A deal proper on the midpoint between Chourio ($10.25 million AAV) and Anthony ($16.25 million) would put Caminero at $114 million over these eight years. Bumping the AAV to $15 million would push the overall worth to $120 million. Add in a membership possibility or two, plus some incentives, and the Rays ought to be capable to work out an settlement to maintain their franchise cornerstone round long-term.