The Tampa Bay Rays had one of the best seasons in franchise history in 2026, winning the American League East with 98 victories and earning the No. 1 seed in the postseason.

They rode that momentum to the World Series, winning the AL Pennant for the third time in franchise history, but were defeated by the Milwaukee Brewers in five games. Now, the work begins for them to defend their AL East crown and pennant.

The Rays have already made a few decisions with players on the team. The team option for starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen was exercised, while the mutual option for starting pitcher Nick Martinez was declined, making him a free agent.

That was just the beginning for Tampa Bay, with Rays Communications on X sharing the most recent updates for the team. Headlining the moves was a decision made on shortstop Taylor Walls.

Taylor Walls back with Rays for at least one more season

The 2026 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner for AL shortstops had his club option for 2027 picked up, with a cost of $3.1 million. A wizard with the glove, the Rays would certainly love to see him produce a little more with the bat to justify being an everyday player. His 71 OPS+ certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but he still makes a positive impact with his glove and speed, stealing 21 bases and being caught only three times.

Along with picking up Walls’s option, meaning he sticks on the 40-man roster, the team has added right-handed pitcher Alexander Alberto and outfielder Jack Suwinski to the 40-man roster.

Alberto showed some real promise in 2026, breaking through to Triple-A Durham for the first time in his career. Suwinski is a veteran power hitter who will provide the team with some insurance in the outfield after being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade ahead of the deadline.

Tampa Bay’s 40-man roster now sits at 39 players because the team made a small trade. They sent right-handed pitcher Evan Reifert to the Houston Astros in exchange for cash. Reifert has big strikeout potential and reached Triple-A for the first time in 2026. He performed well, but given the glut of bullpen options the team has, it was hard to envision him finding his way to the Big Leagues, so trading him for cash makes sense.

Infielder Nick Madrigal is no longer with the franchise. He was placed on waivers, cleared and has elected to become a free agent.

The same fate was met by right-handed pitcher Jonathan Heasley. He has cleared waivers, was outrighted, and will become a minor league free agent.