Rays Outfielder Could Be Adding Another Dimension To His Game This Season
Generating offense for the Tampa Bay Rays is not always easy given the lack of pop in their lineup.
The team doesn’t have many power threats. They're currently tied for the fewest home runs in baseball with only five through nine games.
That has contributed to a below-average OPS+ of 94, leaving manager Kevin Cash searching for answers when it comes to generating offense consistently.
One way to overcome the lack of pop is getting aggressive on the basepaths. Whether that means stealing bases or taking the extra base when possible, the Rays need to figure out a way to make up for the lack of power in their lineup.
Their 12 stolen bases are above the league average, and they've been caught only once for an elite 92.3% success rate.
One Tampa Bay player who has not yet gotten involved in the stolen base parade (but could eventually) is Christopher Morel.
He was acquired from the Chicago Cubs ahead of the trade deadline last year, along with Ty Johnson and Hunter Bigge, in exchange for Isaac Paredes.
Morel struggled mightily after the trade. Across 49 games and 190 plate appearances, he had a .191/.258/.289 slash line with three home runs, a 29.5% strikeout rate and -0.8 WAR.
Fortunately, he's gotten off to a much better start this year with a .278/.381/.278 slash line. His power has not yet been on display, but he's made up for it with improved speed.
As shared by Eno Sarris of The Athletic (subscription required), Morel has shown the biggest increase in sprint speed since last year. His 1.2 mph difference from 27.3 mph to 28.5 mph is the largest jump in baseball.
The 26-year-old has not yet stolen a base, but that could soon become part of his arsenal. Sprint speed doesn’t exactly translate to stolen base success, but it certainly can help a person on the base paths.
Morel hasn’t been overly efficient stealing bases in his career, going just 24-for-40. However, faster sprint speed could help him improve that ratio and become a more reliable base runner as a result.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.