Franchise royalty: Tampa Bay Rays all-time postseason lineup

The Tampa Bay Rays have packed an impressive amount of October history into a relatively short existence, from the 2008 breakout to the 2020 pennant and a stack of sneaky-good series in between.

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Born as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1998, it wasn’t until the franchise became the Rays in 2008 that the postseason became more than a fantasy. The Devil Rays finished last in the AL East in nine of their 10 seasons. The Rays won the AL East in 2008 and went on a magical ride that resulted in a pennant and a trip to the World Series.

Since then, Tampa Bay has made eight more trips to the postseason and another visit to the World Series. In 2026, the Rays have clinched another AL East championship and the top seed in the league. They have a bye in the wild-card round and will meet the winner of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, their division rivals, in the AL Division Series.

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Here is a position-by-position look at an all-time MLB postseason lineup for Tampa Bay, built on October performance in a Rays uniform, not regular-season reputation.

Catcher: Mike Zunino

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino (10) hits a sacrifice RBI against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in Game 7 of the 2020 ALCS. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)

Mike Zunino’s overall Rays line will never wow anyone, but for one postseason he turned into exactly what that 2020 club needed: a power-hitting catcher who could run a staff through a neutral-site, bubble-style October. He hit four home runs that postseason, including key shots in the ALCS that flipped momentum in tight games. Where most Rays catchers have offered defense and handled the pitching but little playoff damage at the plate, Zunino gave them real punch in the middle of the order while still shepherding a pitching staff that leaned heavily on matchups and bulk guys.

His swing-and-miss profile never disappeared, but when you are building an all-time postseason lineup for a franchise that has lived on pitching and run prevention, a catcher who can run into a ball and change a series belongs here.

First base: Carlos Peña

Former Tampa Bay Rays player Carlos Pena is signed for a day as he officially retires from Major League Baseball as a Ray and throws out the first pitch before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Carlos Peña was the thump in the middle of the original 2008 contender and still holds a strong case as the Rays’ best run producer of that era. The October numbers themselves (.269, four HRs, 14 RBIs) are not historic, but he delivered big swings in that first World Series run, including damage in the ALCS against Boston. His left-handed power fit the Rays’ profile of grinding at-bats and punishing mistakes, and pitchers had to work carefully around him, which opened up chances for the hitters behind him.

You could make a case for a more recent option at first, but Peña is still the best combination of postseason impact and symbolic weight for a franchise that was learning how to win playoff games on the fly.

Second base: Ben Zobrist

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Ben Zobrist (18) walks in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Ben Zobrist is the Swiss Army knife who became the model for how the Rays like to build rosters. His early postseason work at second base makes him the clear choice here. Zobrist brought switch-hitting patience, gap power and the kind of positional versatility that let Joe Maddon mix and match his way through October without ever taking a quality bat out of the lineup.

Even when the surface numbers did not pop, Zobrist’s on-base skills and ability to move around the diamond stabilized lineups that often leaned on platoons. In an all-time October Rays lineup, penciling him in at second gives you flexibility to shift him mid-game and still keep the best nine bats on the field.

The value Zobrist showcased with the Rays served him well in 2015 and 2016, when he won consecutive World Series with the Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs.

Shortstop: Willy Adames

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jake Bauers (9) is congratulated by shortstop Willy Adames (1) after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)

Shortstop is less about gaudy playoff numbers and more about who anchored the biggest runs, and Willy Adames checks that box. He was the everyday shortstop during the 2020 pennant, playing steady defense in front of an ever-changing pitching plan and contributing enough offense to justify a prime lineup spot. Adames’ peak postseason performance actually came in 2019, when he turned in a 1.106 OPS and a pair of homers in six games.

Adames brought energy, leadership and some timely hits throughout that run, and he did it at a premium position where the Rays have often cycled through role players and glove-first options. In this context, the combination of everyday presence, big-stage experience and defensive reliability gives him the edge.

Tampa Bay fans understandably harbor a soft spot for the 2008 double-play duo of Akinori Iwamura and Jason Bartlett, but the overall games of Zobrist and Adames win the day for the all-time lineup.

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Third base: Evan Longoria

Former Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria (3) is introduced during a number retirement ceremony at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Evan Longoria is the easiest call on the board. He homered four times in his first ALDS in 2008 and set the tone for everything that came after. For years, the Rays could roll into October knowing they had a middle-of-the-order righty who could handle elite pitching, control the strike zone and play Gold Glove-caliber defense at third.

Longoria’s Rays postseason numbers include multiple series with multi-homer outputs, and he was usually the hitter opponents circled on the scouting report. On a franchise that has often shuffled lineups daily, he was the fixed point. Any Rays all-time playoff team starts with Longoria at third and batting near the top of the order. And who can forget Longoria’s Game 162 walkoff homer that was responsible for Tampa Bay making the 2011 postseason?

Left field: Carl Crawford

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Carl Crawford (13) celebrates after defeating the Boston Red Sox 3-1 in Game 7 of the ALCS at Tropicana Field to advance to the World Series. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Carl Crawford did much of his damage in the regular season, but his speed and defense translated cleanly into October. On those early Rays playoff teams, he could turn singles into doubles with his legs, pressure pitchers into mistakes, and chase down balls in the gap that helped an already-strong pitching staff play up. In the 2008 run to the World Series, Crawford hit .290 with seven stolen bases to go along with a pair of homers and eight RBIs.

Even when he was not racking up big RBI totals, Crawford changed games with his presence. For a Rays postseason lineup that will lean heavily on power and pitching, having a dynamic table-setter in left field gives this group a different dimension and fits how those early teams actually played.

Center field: B.J. Upton

Tampa Bay Rays center fielder B.J. Upton (2) hits a solo home run during the first inning of Game 6 of the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

B.J. Upton’s 2008 postseason remains one of the most explosive runs in club history. He hit seven home runs that October, including a barrage in the ALDS and ALCS that briefly turned him into one of the most feared hitters in the bracket. His power surge (.985 OPS, 16 RBIs) was a jolt for a team that did not have much October experience and was suddenly trading blows with established contenders.

On top of the bat, Upton covered a ton of ground in center field and made life easier on a staff that was built on young starters and aggressive infield shifts. If you are building an all-time October Rays group, you take the version of Upton that turned into a middle-of-the-order force for one postseason and roll with it.

Right field: Randy Arozarena

Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) celebrates with first baseman Ji-Man Choi (26) after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees during Game 3 of the 2020 ALDS. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)

Randy Arozarena is the face of the most memorable Rays postseason run since 2008, and his October resume is already the stuff of franchise lore. He mashed 10 home runs in the 2020 postseason, a record-setting outburst that carried the lineup to the World Series and made him one of the most feared hitters in the sport for that month. He slashed .377/442/.831 with 14 RBIs in that postseason.

Beyond the raw power, Arozarena brought energy, bat flips and a sense that the Rays suddenly had a true superstar hitter in big moments. You do not overthink this spot. For this franchise, there is Longoria at third and Randy in right when the calendar flips to October.

Designated hitter: Ji-Man Choi

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi (26) runs to first base during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the 2020 World Series. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)

Designated hitter is wide open, which is fitting for a club that loves platoons. Ji-Man Choi gets the nod because his profile fits the way the Rays win playoff games: grinding plate appearances, drawing walks and coming up with the occasional big swing against top-end right-handed pitching.

Choi has a knack for long at-bats and crowd-pleasing moments, and while his overall October numbers are modest, the quality of his plate appearances against elite arms stands out. In a lineup that already has several power threats, plugging in a patient left-handed DH who can extend innings and get on base has real value.

We’ll scout the 2026 postseason with designs on adding slugger Junior Caminero and his back-to-back 40-homer seasons to the mix.

Starting pitcher: Charlie Morton

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Charlie Morton (50) throws to Houston Astros center fielder George Springer (4) during the first inning in Game 2 of the 2020 ALCS. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)

Workhorse righty Charlie Morton won championships with the 2017 Houston Astros and 2022 Atlanta Braves, but his two best postseasons came as a Tampa Bay Ray. He went 5-1 with a 2.10 ERA in the 2019 and 2020 postseasons combined.

Morton took the ball for Game 7 of the 2020 ALCS against the Astros. He fired 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out six in a 4-2 victory that sent Tampa Bay to its second World Series. Unfortunately, Morton’s lone poor postseason start with the Rays came in Game 3 of the World Series. The Dodgers touched him up for five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings to get a 6-2 victory.

Relief ace: Nick Anderson

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (15) slides into home plate on a wild pitch against Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Nick Anderson (70) during the sixth inning of Game 6 of the 2020 World Series. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)

Picking one reliever for a franchise built on bullpen depth is almost unfair, but Nick Anderson’s 2020 run in the shortened season and into October captures what modern Rays baseball looks like. He was the high-leverage weapon who often entered before the ninth, facing the heart of the order regardless of inning. For a while, he simply did not give up runs.

The end of that postseason was rough, which tends to color the memory, but for most of that year and into the playoffs Anderson was about as automatic as any reliever in baseball. In an all-time Rays postseason bullpen, he would be the first arm up when things got tight, even if someone else collected the actual saves.

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