Rays' Eloy Jimenez: Contending for bench role

Jimenez will enter spring training in a competition with Curtis Mead for the final bench spot on the Rays' roster, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Jimenez joined the Rays on a minor-league deal in late December and will earn $2 million if he makes the Opening Day roster. He struggled to get going during the 2024 season, but he had at least a .169 ISO in all of his prior campaigns. While Mead would offer Tampa Bay more defensive versatility, Jimenez has a chance to be the more impactful bat.