The Tampa Bay Rays have had a great start to the season. Now, the franchise must make sure they capitalize on their early success. Coming into the year, not too many people would have predicted that the Rays would have the best record in the American League entering June. However, Tampa Bay has been a really good team this campaign and has exceeded all expectations. The Rays have taken advantage of the AL not doing all that well yet, and despite their division being considered the best in the league coming into the season, only the New York Yankees have performed well. Tampa Bay is no stranger to being a playoff contender, but they have missed the postseason for two straight years. However, due to their ridiculous start to the season, they are in a great position to change that this campaign. Furthermore, while the team is doing well, they must be thinking about trying to make the most of this opportunity. With the summer nearly here, the Rays must get aggressive. Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about some potential landing spots for southpaw Tarik Skubal. The former executive named the Rays as a sleeper team to land the two-time reigning Cy Young in the American League. Rays Would Solidify Themselves With Skubal Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesEven though this has been a rotation that has been really good this year, adding Skubal would help Tampa Bay immensely. While the southpaw would have to show that he is healthy and ready to go, he has the capability of completely changing the playoff race. Adding Skubal to a rotation that features Shane McClanahan, Nick Martinez, and Drew Rasmussen would create a unit that could compete with any rotation in the league. Furthermore, with a plethora of experience pitching in big games for the Tigers in the playoffs the last two years, he will be ready for the big moment when it comes. Due to Skubal being a free agent at the end of the year, his value has dropped dramatically compared to if he had been dealt this past offseason. For Tampa Bay, they did a really strong job of restocking their farm system this winter, and they have plenty of ammo to make an appealing offer for Skubal. Despite being a low-payroll team, the Rays will get aggressive and try to make a splash when they see fit. Considering the team has the best record in the American League, that time will likely be coming this summer. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow