AL East Power Rankings with Aaron Judge back in the picture

By Tim Boyle | Dec 7, 2022

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 28: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees runs out his 61st home run of the season in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 28, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Judge has now tied Roger Maris for the American League record. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /

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The Tampa Bay Rays are fourth in the AL East Power Rankings. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

4) AL East Power Rankings: Tampa Bay Rays

The offseason isn’t the time when the Tampa Bay Rays typically make the biggest moves. They spend cautiously. Their biggest addition thus far was signing Zach Eflin. Compared to the Aaron Judge signing made by New York, this one doesn’t even register.

The Rays have a reputation as a smart ball club. Their deep analytical thinking makes them a great underdog story. Baseball nerds love to root for them. Rather than throw money at the problem, they attempt to outsmart you. Who would have thought relief pitchers starting games could ever work?

Unfortunately, all this way of thinking has gotten them is a trip to the 2020 World Series. The Rays don’t do much once they get to the postseason. And if you thought they should be higher in the AL East Power Rankings, consider where they finished in the standings last season.

At a respectable 86-76, the Rays were only 8 games better than the Red Sox and 13 behind the Yankees. The Baltimore Orioles were only three games behind Tampa Bay.

We can crunch numbers forever and convince ourselves the Rays are good. They are, but the division is getting better. Meanwhile, they’re Strat-O-Matic geniuses who have yet to get the stat sheets to translate on the field. Just wait until some of the other teams in the division make their biggest move of the offseason. We’re still waiting.

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