What's next for the Rays? Three questions after World Series loss, including payroll and Junior Caminero

The Rays fell to the Brewers in the 2026 World Series; will they be back in contention in 2027? The Tampa Bay Rays' 2026 season is over. Coming off a 98-win regular season, the American League East title, and their third-ever pennant, the Rays were eliminated in five games from the 2026 World Series by the juggernaut Milwaukee Brewers. There's pride to be taken in the Rays' overall body of work this year, but the prevailing reality is that they failed to achieve their ultimate goal. While the Brewers are celebrating their first World Series title, the Rays remain on the list of franchises that have never hoisted the trophy. This all means that the Rays now turn their attention to 2027 and whether they're likely to make another run at relevance, contention, and perhaps another bite at the championship apple.

Let's explore that now by exploring three questions that will define the Rays' coming offseason and their 2027 campaign. The Rays, across so much of their history, have reliably punched above their weight. The foundation of that has been a level of support and investment from club ownership that's been entirely lacking. The present ownership group, led by Jacksonville real estate something or other Patrick Zalupski, took over in September of 2025, so this is almost wholly an indictment