Fans taken aback by Rays' bold move of optioning Chandler Simpson to Triple-A

The Tampa Bay Rays turned heads on Friday when they decided to demote Chandler Simpson. The rookie sensation was optioned to Triple-A Durham to make room on the roster for the returning Jake Magnum.

While Simpson was promoted to MLB last month, earlier than many anticipated, the rookie added another dimension to Tampa's offense with his electric base running, often making the highlight reels.

The Rays' No. 7 prospect wasn't expected to give too much power in his at-bats, but Simpson was decent in his plate appearances, slashing .285/.315/.317 in 35 games.

The decision shocked MLB fans, who expressed their feelings on social media.

"Kid's done everything right & he gets sent down? Obviously has something to do w/ service time smh," alleged a fan.

"He was rolling! Damn. Are they keeping him down to control his salary?" wrote another fan.

"Wtf is actually wrong with the Rays?"

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"Rays are so unserious," wrote a fan.

"I hate this. People don't understand how much it can change the game by applying pressure on the bases," wrote another fan.

"7 hits in the last 10 games and 5 SB in the last 2 games. Makes no sense at all."

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While Simpson has impressed with his electrifying speed, Jake Magnum has provided strong at-bats since his MLB debut in March. He was 338/.384/.397 in 21 games before his injury.

Rays manager discussed "tough" decision to option Chandler Simpson

Although Rays manager Kevin Cash announced the decision to option Chandler Simpson on Friday morning, he acknowledged the rookie's professionalism during his major league stint.

“They're all tough decisions,” Cash said. “Certainly this one was right at the top of the list. He was a pro. The way he carried himself the entire time he was down here was really, really appreciated and impressive, so no different from our conversation today.”

While Simpson's base running caught the attention of the league, the Rays feel he has more work to do on his defensive skills in the outfield. Simpson is also expected to hone his offensive skills in Triple-A.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash