Opinion: It appears Rays want Jake Fraley after all

Jake Fraley (YouTube)

In a bizarre circumstance this month, the Tampa Bays Rays have signed outfielder Jake Fraley to a one-year contract worth $3 million according to ESPN. The reason why this signing is bizarre is because what the Rays have done with Fraley this month. That is because Fraley was claimed off waivers on November 6. He was then designated for assignment on November 18, and then signed to a one-year deal worth a very decent amount of money indeed.

The question now is do the Rays want Fraley or not? It appears in the short term, they do.

Fraley is joining his fourth Major League Baseball franchise. He was previously with the Seattle Mariners from 2019 to 2021, the Cincinnati Reds for four seasons from 2022 to 2025, and the Atlanta Braves in 2025.

Last season in Cincinnati and Atlanta, Fraley batted .241 with six home runs and 23 runs batted in. During 76 games, 191 at bats and 217 plate appearances, Fraley scored 31 runs and had 46 hits, nine doubles, four stolen bases, 25 walks, 73 total bases, an on base percentage of .332 and a slugging percentage of .382.

Where will Fraley fit into Tampa Bay this season? It appears he will be a fourth outfielder, and be behind Jake Mangum of Flowood, Mississippi, center fielder Chandler Simpson of Atlanta, Georgia and Josh Lowe of Chesapeake, Virginia on the Rays depth chart.

Tampa Bay is looking for a bounce back season. They had a record of 77 wins and 85 losses for a winning percentage of .475 in 2025. Earlier this month, the Rays announced they will return to Tropicana Field in 2026. They did not play there last year because of damage to the stadium from Hurricane Milton. As a result, the Rays had their home games at the New York Yankees’s spring training complex in Tampa.