Rays finalize 2024 Opening Day roster

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays took their Opening Day roster decisions down to the final day, with some choices coming down to the wire and others taken out of their hands by injuries.

They cut some competition early on by adding veterans Phil Maton and Amed Rosario. Outfielder Jonny DeLuca sustained a fractured right hand, taking him out of the running for a bench spot. Outfielder Josh Lowe sustained a mild right oblique strain, which will sideline him into April.

Infielder Jonathan Aranda (fractured right ring finger) will also miss time early in the season. Top prospect Junior Caminero was optioned to Minor League camp, ending whatever speculation there might have been about where he’d start the season.

The Rays set their pitching staff on Monday, announcing that Tyler Alexander would open the season in the rotation while Jacob Waguespack had earned a spot in the bullpen. They settled their final position-player debates on Wednesday, naming Austin Shenton to the roster and acquiring backup catcher Ben Rortvedt.

The Rays made it official on Thursday. Here is their 2024 Opening Day roster.

Catcher (2): René Pinto, Ben Rortvedt
The Rays still seem set on giving Pinto most of the starting reps behind the plate. They made a last-minute trade to land Rortvedt from the Yankees on Wednesday, sending non-roster invitee Alex Jackson to Triple-A Durham as depth.

First base (1): Yandy Díaz
The Rays’ returning team MVP and All-Star leadoff man came into camp noticeably more agile and trim, hoping to play a full season free of nagging injury concerns.

Second base (1): Brandon Lowe
The slugging second baseman is healthy and eager to have another year like his 39-homer, 99-RBI campaign in 2021.

Shortstop (1): José Caballero
The Rays have consistently said that Caballero, acquired from Seattle on Jan. 5, will be their guy to start the season. With Wander Franco’s legal issues and Taylor Walls’ recovery from offseason surgery on his right hip, this is his long-awaited opportunity.

Third base (1): Isaac Paredes
It will be interesting to see what happens whenever Caminero makes it clear he’s ready to play every day in the Majors, but Paredes earned this job after last year’s 31-homer, 98-RBI performance.

Outfield (4): Randy Arozarena, Jose Siri, Harold Ramírez, Richie Palacios
Arozarena, Siri and Lowe were lined up to be the regular starters, but Lowe will begin the season on the injured list. That could lead to more time in the outfield for Palacios and Amed Rosario, who would make sense as platoon partners in right. Ramírez said he wants to play more outfield this season, and the Rays may need him to do so early on while DeLuca recovers from his injury. This group is missing a true backup center fielder, as DeLuca seemed likely to handle that role, so those duties will fall to Arozarena and Palacios on Siri’s occasional days off.

Infield/utility (3): Amed Rosario, Curtis Mead, Austin Shenton
Rosario should play an important role against left-handed pitchers, as the early spring addition can handle second base or back up at shortstop and has taken well to right field this spring. Injuries solidified Mead’s spot on the roster, and he will serve as a backup around the infield (or get some DH time) while providing a right-handed bat off the bench. Against tough left-handed pitchers, manager Kevin Cash could use Mead at second and Rosario in right, with Ramírez DH'ing. The loss of Aranda opened a spot for Shenton, who had been optioned to Minor League camp on March 11.

Rotation (5): Zach Eflin, Aaron Civale, Zack Littell, Ryan Pepiot, Tyler Alexander
This group has changed dramatically over the past year due to trades (Tyler Glasnow), last season’s injuries (Shane McClanahan, Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen) and now a mid-spring right pec strain for young starter Taj Bradley.

That will test the Rays’ depth, but they feel good about the arms and depth they have. They officially rounded out their rotation on March 25, when Cash announced that Alexander would pitch the fourth game of the season, either as a traditional starter or after an opener.

Bullpen (8): Pete Fairbanks, Jason Adam, Colin Poche, Phil Maton, Shawn Armstrong, Garrett Cleavinger, Chris Devenski, Jacob Waguespack
Pitching coach Kyle Snyder believes this could be the deepest bullpen of his Rays career. Fairbanks, Adam, Poche and Maton make for a strong late-inning group. Armstrong and Cleavinger can handle multiple roles

Devenski and Waguespack were both stretched out to start in Spring Training, but have pitched in a variety of roles, so they add further depth and versatility. Expect to see right-handers Kevin Kelly and Manuel Rodriguez contribute significantly as the season goes on as well.