Chandler

Simpson

The 25-year-old made his spring debut on Saturday after being delayed due to a hamstring injury, but he seemed pretty healthy today. Both of Simpson’s hits were singles, but one of them was 95 mph off the bat, so it wasn’t all soft contact. Simpson has spent a lot of the offseason working on his centerfield defense, and turning himself into an above-average defender out there would go a long way to securing his playing time in a crowded outfield.

Simpson went 1-for-2 on Friday in his spring debut against the Blue Jays following a brief absence at the outset of Grapefruit League action due to left hamstring tightness. It’s an ongoing situation that fantasy managers should keep a close eye on, especially since hamstring issues can be recurring issues if not managed properly. The 25-year-old speedster stole 44 bases in 109 games last year as a rookie and will be one of the most coveted steals threats in fantasy drafts this spring.

It’s still early in spring training, so there is no real cause for concern with Simpson being sidelined. However, his main attribute is speed, so any lingering hamstring soreness would be a major wrench in his value to both the Rays and fantasy managers. The Rays also added Cedric Mullins, Jacob Melton, Justyn-Henry Malloy, and Jake Fraley this offseason, so Simpson is not guaranteed a spot in this outfield.

The 25-year-old speedster has still been able to do work on the field, but the Rays are going to take every possible precaution not to make things worse here. They don’t believe that it’s a major issue and it shouldn’t impact Simpson’s availability for the start of the regular season. He’s considered day-to-day.

The Rays would seem to be giving up some upside here, but the 27-year-old Lowe just hasn’t shown the same ability the last two years that he did in 2023. In his place comes Lux, who showed very little power last year but can provide on-base ability and fit at second. This trade seems like good news for Chandler Simpson, as a left-handed bat has been removed from the outfield mix. It’s also good for Sal Stewart in Cincinnati, not that Stewart really should have been blocked by Lux for infield or DH at-bats. Lowe will probably get to step in as the Angels’ center fielder against right-handers, and he still might have some mixed-league value with his stolen base ability.

The crown jewel of Tampa Bay’s prospect haul from the Astros as part of a three-team swap that also included the Pirates, Melton struggled in his first taste of the big leagues this past season during a brief 32-game cameo where he batted .157 (11-for-70) with 29 strikeouts. Still, the Rays clearly view the 25-year-old as their long-term answer in center field, with veteran Cedric Mullins signed to a one-year deal as a temporary bridge. Neander added that Melton is not terribly far off and will have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Rays’ season-opening roster next spring. He boasts an enticing power-speed profile for fantasy purposes and his immediate path to playing time feels more likely in the outfield corners which are occupied by Chandler Simpson and Josh Lowe for now. The move to Tampa Bay offering a clean reset — positioning him as a potential core piece of a younger roster rather than a fringe component behind Houston’s veteran-heavy group. He checks in as a borderline top-100 dynasty outfielder with the athleticism and upside to take a meaningful leap if everything clicks in spring training.

Simpson wraps up his rookie campaign with 44 thefts in 109 games and at times has looked like a game-changing speedster. Díaz gets a breather after socking a career-high 25 home runs in 150 games while Lowe managed to stay healthy for 134 contests and reach the 30-homer mark for the first time since the 2021 campaign.

With left-hander Cade Povich starting for the Orioles, the Rays will bench their three main left-handed-hitting starters. Everson Pereira will start in center field and bat eighth, Richie Palacios will start at second base and bat fifth, and Christopher Morel will start in left field and bat cleanup.

Simpson drove in multiple runs for the second time in 103 career games; he also had two RBI on Aug. 24. His average is back up to .301 now, with his OPS sitting at .685. He has a chance to become the first player since Ben Revere in 2014 to finish with a .300 average and a sub-.700 OPS over at least 300 plate appearances. Revere also did it in 2013. Before that, the last person to do it was Willie Wilson in 1981 (and Wilson, who batted .303, actually had a .700 OPS after rounding up).

Simpson doubled twice and added a go-ahead single in the seventh inning against Toronto reliever Yariel Rodríguez as part of an impressive three-hit effort. The 24-year-old rookie speedster doesn’t offer any over-the-fence pop, but he’s been a strong batting average and stolen base source for fantasy purposes. He’ll be a mixed-league relevant contributor if he remains atop Tampa Bay’s lineup into the future.