Bryan Baker, Kevin Kelly, Victor Mesa Jr., Liam Hicks, and Nick Martinez all played huge roles in the Rays’ run to the ALCS this season, and The Athletic’s Will Sammon took a look at the process Tampa Bay used in…
The Tampa Bay Rays advanced to the 2026 ALCS behind key contributions from Bryan Baker, Kevin Kelly, Victor Mesa Jr., Liam Hicks, and Nick Martinez. An analysis from The Athletic's Will Sammon examined how Tampa Bay acquired the group through low-cost trades, the Rule 5 Draft, and targeted free agency.
Martinez was the most expensive acquisition with a one-year, $13 million contract signed last winter. In contrast, the remaining four players earned less than $4 million combined in 2026, highlighting the Rays' continued success in player development and analytics.
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