Getty Shane McClanahan seeks a big season for the Rays.
After a fourth-straight trip to the postseason ended in the wild-card round last year, the Tampa Bay Rays are looking to make yet another splash in 2023.
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Most Rays games this season will be locally televised on Bally Sports Sun, while others may be nationally televised on MLB Network (those ones will also be on Bally Sports Sun), ESPN, ESPN2, Fox or FS1. A couple may be untelevised and stream on YouTube, Apple TV+, Peacock TV or ESPN+.
If you don’t have cable and you live in the Rays market, you can watch a live stream of every televised Rays game on FuboTV or DirecTV Stream, which both include Bally Sports Sun and come with a free trial.
Here’s a full rundown of those options, as well as some ways for out-of-market viewers to watch Rays games live online without cable in 2023:
If You’re in the Rays Market
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of Bally Sports Sun, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox, FS1, MLB Network and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV. You’ll need to include the “Sports Plus” add-on for MLB Network, but you can include any add-ons you want with your free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Rays games live on the FuboTV app or FuboTV website.
Compatible devices for the FuboTV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ESPN, ESPN2, Fox and FS1 are included in every one, while Bally Sports Sun and MLB Network are in “Choice” and up, but you can pick any package and any add-ons you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Rays games live on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
If You’re Out of the Rays Market
Amazon Prime’s MLB.TV Channel
Amazon Prime subscribers (Prime comes with a 30-day free trial) can watch every out-of-market, non-nationally televised MLB game via Prime Channels.
The MLB.TV channel costs either $24.99 per month to watch every out-of-market game (“All Team Pass”) or $129.99 for the year to just watch out-of-market Rays games (“Single Team Pass”), but either option comes with a free seven-day trial:
MLB.TV Amazon Prime Free Trial
Once you’re signed up for the Prime MLB.TV Channel, out-of-market viewers can watch Rays games live on the Prime Video app or Amazon website.
Compatible devices for the Prime Video app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, various smart TV’s, Xiaomi, Echo Show or Echo Spot, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
MLB.TV
This is ultimately the same as the Amazon Prime option above, only you’ll watch games on MLB’s digital platforms instead of Amazon’s.
You can watch all out-of-market, non-nationally televised MLB games via MLB.TV. It costs $24.99 per month or $149.99 for the year to watch every out-of-market game, or $129.99 for the year to just watch out-of-market Rays games. The monthly and yearly all-team options include a free seven-day trial (the single-team option does not):
Once signed up for MLB.TV, out-of-market viewers can watch Rays games live on the MLB TV app or MLB.TV website.
Compatible devices for the MLB TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, various Smart TV’s, Samsung Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
ESPN+
This isn’t going to be an option to watch a lot of Rays games, but if you’re looking for a cheap way to watch a random MLB game daily, ESPN+ includes at least one out-of-market game every day during the regular season:
In addition to one live MLB game every day, ESPN+ also has dozens of other live sports, every 30-for-30 documentary and additional original content (both video and written) for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (or $13.99 per month for a bundle of all three of ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu).
Once signed up for ESPN+, out-of-market viewers can watch a daily MLB game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com.
Compatible devices for the ESPN app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, Oculus Go, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Rays Season Preview 2023
The Tampa Bay Rays look to make another playoff run in 2023.
Last season, the Rays went 86-76 under manager Kevin Cash for third place in the American League East. The Rays fell to the Cleveland Guardians in the wild card round of the playoffs.
Tampa Bay lost a few key players from that squad, including catcher Mike Zunino and pitcher Corey Kluber. The Rays also lost first baseman Ji-Man Choi, center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, outfielder Brett Phillips, and left-handed pitchers Brooks Raley and Ryan Yarbrough.
Rays left fielder Randy Arozarena seeks another big season. He hit .263 for 20 home runs and 89 RBI plus 32 stolen bases in 2022.
Shortstop Wander Franco looks to build on a solid 2022 campaign where he hit .277 for six home runs and 33 RBI in just 83 games. The Rays look to get a full season out of second baseman Brandon Lowe, too, after his .221 average for eight home runs and 25 RBI in 65 contests.
Rays third baseman Yandy Diaz seeks to improve on a 2022 season where he hit .296 for nine home runs and 58 RBI. Designated hitter Harold Ramirez likewise looks to build on a solid 2022 campaign where he batted .300 for six home runs and 58 RBI.
Tampa Bay looks for another big season from left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan. He went 12-8 with a 2.54 ERA last season. The Rays also have Drew Rasmussen, who went 11-7 with a 2.84 ERA, and Jeffrey Springs, who went 9-5 plus eight saves amid a 2.46 ERA.
Pitcher Tyler Glasnow could give the Rays more production in 2023 after missing time to injury last season. Glasnow had a 1.35 ERA in his only two appearances last year.
The Rays also added pitcher Zach Eflin from the Philadelphia Phillies. Eflin went 3-5 and had a save amid his 4.04 ERA with the defending National League champions in 2022.
Tampa Bay also has three relief pitchers with seven or more saves from last season. Jason Adam went 2-3 and made eight saves with a 1.56 ERA in 2022. Pete Fairbanks also made eight saves and posted a 1.13 ERA last year. Left-hander Colin Poche had seven saves and a 4-2 record amid a 3.99 ERA in 2022.
The Rays also have reliever Ryan Thompson, who went 3-3 with a 3.80 ERA last year.
Projected Lineup
Christian Bethancourt, catcher
Yandy Diaz, first base
Brandon Lowe, second base
Wander Franco, shortstop
Isaac Paredes, third base
Randy Arozarena, left field
Jose Siri, center field
Manuel Margot, right field
Harold Ramirez, designated hitter
Projected Pitching Rotation and Bullpen
Shane McClanahan, starter
Tyler Glasnow, starter
Jeffrey Springs, starter
Drew Rasmussen, starter
Zach Eflin, starter
Peter Fairbanks, closer
Jason Adam, closer
Garrett Cleavinger, setup
Jalen Beeks, reliever
Shawn Armstrong, reliever
Colin Poche, reliever
Ryan Thompson, reliever
Kevin Kelly, reliever
Calvin Faucher, reliever
Trevor Kelley, reliever
Andrew Kittredge, reliever