Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
What exactly are the Tampa Bay Rays waiting for? I’m sure you already guessed I was talking about the fact that Wil Myers is still in Triple-A while the Rays struggle to score runs. The Rays are hitting .217 as a team so far this season and have scored 51 runs. The Rays have featured Matt Joyce, Shelley Duncan and Sean Rodriguez in the outfield. Joyce is off to a very slow start hitting .196 with one home run and one RBI. Duncan is hitting .243, which is actually good enough for fifth-best on the team. Rodriguez is checking in at .176 and has yet to hit a home run while driving in only three runs. Meanwhile, Myers sits in Durham waiting for his chance.
The Rays should have started the season with Myers on the team. But, for reasons most likely tied to financial decisions, Myers didn’t start the year with the Rays and was instead sent down to Triple-A. The Rays look like they are waiting until May to start the service clock on arguably the best prospect in Major League Baseball. Meanwhile, their offense is costing them wins. The Rays are already sitting at the bottom of the AL East with a 6-10 record.
There is still time for the Rays to turn it around. Manager Joe Maddon is an expert at getting the most from his team but even he isn’t a miracle worker. He needs another bat in that lineup to add balance. Right now Evan Longoria leads the team with four home runs. Kelly Johnson is second with three but can the Rays really expect to win when Johnson is their second leading power hitter? Maybe, but it isn’t likely.
Bringing Myers, who hit 37 home runs last season in Double and Triple-A, up would give the Rays another threat in the lineup to go with Longoria and Ben Zobrist. So far with Durham this season Myers has been productive, even if he does have 15 strikeouts in 50 at-bats. He has hit .300 with 11 RBI. He has yet to hit a home run this season but the power is there and he could still be productive in this lineup.
There is no questions the Rays would be a better team with Myers in the lineup. Myers knows he is ready. The Rays know he is ready. The Rays just need to bite the bullet and call Myers up. The team has a legitimate chance to turn it around this season. Adding Myers’ bat would be an upgrade over having to start Sean Rodriguez in left field. Now is the time for Myers to make his mark.
