The Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees this weekend. That’s not a sentence that many expected to read after last year’s finish. But, alas, here both teams are, tied at the top of a competitive American League East. It’s only 15 games in. That’s not even 10% of the season. So take the results with a grain of salt. But it’s still fun to talk about the Rays and their successes. So here are the three best players on this spunky Rays team so far in 2026.
The Three Best Players So Far on the 2026 Rays
1. Yandy Díaz
Ah, Yandy Díaz, the constant analytics darling. Don’t get it twisted; he’s been a great hitter for quite some time now. Over the past five seasons, he’s posted a wRC+ of over 130 in four of them (including 2026). He even won a batting title in 2023.
This year, he’s been on an absolute tear. His .582 slugging percentage would shatter a career high by 60 points. He is posting the highest xwOBA of his career since 2023. And to top it all off, he’s doing all of this while posting a career low walk rate. That (along with his BABIP) is likely to regress to the normal level. Which means his current 201 wRC+ isn’t likely sustainable. But by golly, has he been an absolute monster up there. There’s been much talk about where he hits in the lineup. So far, it hasn’t seemed to matter. Díaz will hit anywhere and everywhere. Just put him in the lineup.
2. Jonathan Aranda
Jonathan Aranda has been a popular breakout candidate. He’s been an All-Star. And even still, he might be underrated by most folks. He’s been giving the Rays some of the most competitive plate appearances on the team. His whiff rate is one of the best in baseball, coming in at a 91st percentile mark. He hits the ball hard more consistently than most folks, with a 93.2 average exit velocity. But because of some rotten luck (a dastardly .227 BABIP), his production hasn’t been as eye-popping as one would expect. So while Aranda has been quite good to start the season, he’s likely to get even better. His luck should turn around, because he combines a great contact ability with surprisingly good power.
Jonathan Aranda with his second career walk-off – both coming vs. the Yankees! pic.twitter.com/td1CGcekBE
— MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2026
Aranda’s struggles at first defensively have been a bit concerning. He’s got a -1 OAA mark so far, nothing to panic about, but not exactly super fun. But he was around average defensively last year, which, combined with his bat, makes for a good player. So, nothing to worry about with Aranda, only good vibes from here on out. As long as he can stay healthy.
3. Chandler Simpson
One of the most fun players in baseball roams left field for the Rays. Chandler Simpson is one of those outlier players in many ways. His speed is truly game-changing. His average sprint speed is in the 99th percentile for the league. He puts the ball in play more than anyone else in the game. His 5.5% strikeout rate is the lowest in baseball. And he hits for almost no power, with 1st percentile quality of contact marks almost across the board.
But his speed. It’s enough to leave spectators speechless. He hustles out infield hits and swipes bags at an astonishing pace and rate. And the most important thing that gets him on this list? He’s actually become a pretty good outfield option for the Rays. Last year, it was a struggle for the 25-year-old. He was still learning, and the Rays had him perhaps slightly miscast as a center fielder.
Chandler Simpson is truly incredible man.
Awesome hitter, fastest player in baseball, improving defender. Perfect leadoff hitter for this team. pic.twitter.com/SCmgJYjW6y
— Jake (@TBRaysCentral) April 12, 2026
Now, they’ve got Simpson playing exclusively in left field. A more consistent spot, combined with seemingly a tremendous offseason from Simpson, has him playing at a very high level defensively. Not that his offense is anything to forget. His .418 OBP combined with that baserunning ability makes him a dangerous offensive weapon for the Rays. So all in all, Simpson has turned himself from a fun gimmicky player who’s really fast into a potential star. That’s not too bad for a guy who only just recently hit his first professional over-the-fence home run.
Main Photo Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
