Kevin

Cash

In spite of its seeming vulnerability, Tropicana Field was set up as a staging area for recovery efforts from Milton, with beds meant for responders lining the entire outfield area. Fortunately, though, no one was on the premises for the event, which pretty much shredded the entire roof of the domed stadium. Whether a fix is possible prior to the 2025 season is hard to say at the moment. The Rays might find themselves playing in an open-air stadium next year.

That was quick. Uceta will begin serving the suspension immediately and will be available for the Rays beginning Friday against the Guardians. Kevin Cash is also serving his one-game suspension.

Uceta was deemed to have thrown at Nick Castellanos during Tuesday’s contest, and he caused a minus ruckus after. The right-hander has the right to appeal the suspension and it’s unclear at this time whether he will do so. Kevin Cash was also suspended for one game for his involvement.

Rays officials will not discuss the extension until a scheduled media conference to open spring training, so the full details are unknown at this time. However, Cash was heading into the final season of his contract and while the team held a 2025 option, that has allegedly been incorporated into the new deal. Cash won back-to-back American League Manager of the Year awards in 2020-21 and finished third in 2018, 2019 and 2023. He is now the longest-tenured manager in the majors with his current team. Rays baseball operations president Erik Neander also signed a contract extension.

As of now, it sounds like the rest of the coaching staff will remain intact. Look for Rays’ skipper Kevin Cash to work to fill those vacancies as quickly as possible once the offseason begins.

Rays third base coach Rodney Linares is expected to replace Matt Quatraro, who was recently hired as the Royals’ new manager, as the team’s bench coach next season. Williams gets the call to the majors after managing Triple-A Durham for the last four years. Williams has been with the Rays organization since 2009.

Moncada, who is replacing a retiring Stan Boroski, has been with the Rays organization since 2006. He’s served as a minor league pitching coordinator since 2016.

Ramirez was just 28 years old. A 28th-round pick out of Illinois State back in 2016, he played three seasons in the Rays’ minor-league system before joining the organization’s coaching ranks as a major-league bullpen catcher. Our thoughts are with Ramirez’s family and the entire Rays organization.

Cash also claimed the honor in 2020 and is only the second back-to-back winner in the award’s history, joining former Braves skipper Bobby Cox. Mariners manager Scott Servais came in second in the 2021 balloting and Astros manager Dusty Baker finished third. Cash, who led the Rays to 100 regular-season wins this year and a second straight American League East title, commanded 19 of a possible 30 first-place votes.

The winner will be announced next Tuesday, Nov. 16 on MLB Network. The inclusion of Servais is notable, as the Mariners weren’t able to break their playoff drought, but they were the biggest surprise in the AL this season with a 90-72 record. Usually surprises win out with Manager of the Year, but we’ll soon find out if BBWAA writers agree.