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The Tampa Bay Rays have a rather large mountain to climb if they expect to compete in the AL East in 2016. Even finishing above .500 with a shot at a wild card spot is going to take a season without much going wrong. Of course, it all starts with health, where Tampa Bay needs everything to fall into place perfectly. Here are five players the Rays can’t live without in 2016.
5. Jake Odorizzi
Credit: Getty Images5. Jake Odorizzi
Odorizzi is still young, but he's become an important part of Tampa Bay's rotation. With Alex Cobb likely out until the second half of the season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, the Rays need Odorizzi to step up and be one of their two or three starters. It's also important that Odorizzi stay healthy and take the ball every five days. Tampa Bay has some pitching depth in the minors, but the Rays are better off if guys like Alex Colome and Steve Geltz are able to pitch out of the bullpen instead of having to fill holes in the rotation.
4. Logan Forsythe
Credit: Getty Images4. Logan Forsythe
Forsythe had a career year for the Rays last season, and he may have actually been their most productive hitter. Tampa Bay isn't sure what it is going to get offensively out of some positions this year, so the Rays absolutely need Forsythe to stay healthy and put up similar numbers to what he did last season.
3. Drew Smyly
Credit: Greg M. Cooper - USATODAY Sports3. Drew Smyly
Injuries limited Smyly to just 12 starts in 2015, and it hurt Tampa Bay not having him in the rotation all season. In those 12 starts, Smyly won five games and put up a 3.11 ERA. He's actually capable of doing better than that, making it imperative that he's healthy enough to give the Rays 30-plus starts in 2016.
2. Evan Longoria
Credit: Getty Images2. Evan Longoria
Longoria's numbers have been down the past couple of years from what he did earlier in his career, but he's still managed to play virtually every day and the Rays need that from him again in 2016. Despite a drop in his production the past couple of years, Longoria is still a major part of Tampa Bay's lineup, and no matter how much the Rays struggle offensively, things could get real ugly if Longoria were to miss time with an injury.
1. Chris Archer
Credit: Getty Images1. Chris Archer
If Tampa Bay is going to have any chance of reaching the postseason in 2016, it'll be because of its starting rotation (Archer in particular). Archer is the undisputed ace of Tampa Bay's rotation, and even if guys like Smyly and Odorizzi have good years behind him, the Rays are going nowhere in the AL East if they don't have Archer leading the way. He's started 66 games for the Rays over the past two years, and if he can't give Tampa Bay another 30-plus starts in 2016, things could get ugly for the Rays.
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