Rays players headed for free agency

The morning following the completion of the World Series, MLB free agency will officially begin.

The Rays have a rare circumstance in which only two players on their 40-man roster will have their major league contracts expire: Carlos Gomez and Sergio Romo.

Of course, the team will cut other players as the offseason drags on. Minor league picks up over the course of the past few month, Vidal Nuno and Adam Moore come to mind as a couple of guys who the Rays will likely cut before spring training.

The Rays don’t have any glaring holes on their roster. The loss of Sergio Romo will open a battle in the backend of the bullpen, and there is always the possibility of Romo re-signing with Tampa Bay, much like he did this previous offseason.

Carlos Gomez meanwhile, lost most of his playing time as the season dragged on. The Rays gave their young guys more opportunities as Gomez’s performance on the field plummeted. However, his contributions to the team in the clubhouse and dugout during the game was invaluable as he seemingly served as the rally chief for the team.

He doesn’t fit into the club’s future plans, though, with the outfield already seemingly locked in for 2019. Tommy Pham, Kevin Kiermaier, Mallex Smith, and Austin Meadows will be battling for playing time, but the Rays could always use another right-handed bat.