ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Another year, another season for the Tampa Bay Rays to defy expectations.
The defending AL East Champions may not have had the most star-studded offseason, but there is no reason to believe the team won't stay competitive this season. With the same young core and a mixture of new veteran pitchers, fans shouldn't expect anything different from Tampa Bay's formula for success.
So, if you're excited to watch your Rays once again take the field at Tropicana (while it lasts), then here's everything you need to know about the 2022 season.
Opening Day
It may be a few days late, but Tampa Bay will have an April Opening Day. The 99-day MLB lockout threatened to push back the start of baseball to May, but thankfully cooler heads prevailed.
The Rays will start their season against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, April 8, at Tropicana Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m.
Those six games that were originally canceled due to the lockout will be rescheduled to the following dates:
Red Sox games:
- 7:10 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, at Fenway Park
- 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Fenway Park
- Wednesday, Oct. 5, at Fenway Park (First Pitch time TBD)
Blue Jays games:
- 12:07 p.m. Saturday, July 2, at Rogers Centre
- 6:07 p.m. Saturday, July 2, at Rogers Centre
- 1:07 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, at Rogers Centre
- 7:07 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, at Rogers Centre
- 3:07 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at Rogers Centre
Look Who's Back
As stated earlier, the Rays didn't make many moves this offseason to bring big names over to the Bay area. Instead, the team decided to say goodbye to some fan favorites. Scrappy veteran third baseman Joey Wendle was sent to Miami, Milwaukee received Mike Brosseau, and All-Star outfielder Austin Meadows was dealt to Detroit.
Those are some pretty big pieces to giveaway but there are still some familiar faces returning to Tampa Bay. For starters, the team's young core is still intact.
Second baseman Brandon Lowe will return for his fifth season with the Rays, coming off a year when he hit 39 home runs. Rookie of the Year winner Randy Arozarena will be bringing his cowboy boots back after slashing .274/.356/.459 in 2021. Pitcher Shane Baz is expected to miss the start of the season but will make his return to the mound. After pitching so well in his only three starts, the Rays were confident enough to have the rookie pitch in Game 2 of the ALDS.
Then, there's Wander Franco. The Dominican-born infielder may have only played 70 games in the majors. But, that small sample size impressed team executives so much, that he inked a 12 year $223 million extension with the ball club. With all that money, Franco has become the de facto face of the franchise at just 21 years old.
Besides the young guns, fans can also expect to see other Rays staples like Kevin Kiermaier, Ji-Man Choi, Yandy Diaz, Mike Zunino, and Brett Phillips.
Honorable mentions go out to Tyler Glasnow who will miss the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Tickets
Hearing all those big-league names might have made fans excited to buy a ticket for a day, or night, at the ballpark.
You can purchase Rays tickets on the team's website or by using the MLB Ballpark app. Information for season ticket memberships can be found here.
Giveaways
While you're at the game, don't forget to grab some goodies.
The Rays announced their promotional schedule for the season, allowing fans to pick up free memorabilia before select home games.
Some of the biggest giveaways are:
- Jackie Robinson 42 hat - Available Friday, April 22, during game against Red Sox
- Randy Arozarena bobblehead - Available Saturday, April 23, during game against Red Sox
- Wander Franco chain necklace - Available Friday, May 27, during game against Yankees
- Mike Zunino Florida man bobblehead - Available Tuesday, June 21, during game against Yankees
- Brett Phillips Devil Rays basketball jersey - Available Saturday, July 30, during game against Guardians
A full list of giveaways can be found here.