Speed demon Simpson becoming a game-changer for Rays

MIAMI -- Don’t blink.

If you do, you might miss Rays rookie Chandler Simpson blazing a trail in the dirt as he zooms around the basepaths. The dazzling speed merchant is a game-changer, and he showed just how dangerous he can be in Tampa Bay’s 9-4 loss to Miami on Friday night at loanDepot park.

Simpson finished the game 3-for-3 (all singles) with an RBI and two runs scored.

That’s a quality day for any hitter at the dish. But the true depth of his impact Friday was deciphered in its details.

Simpson notched Tampa Bay’s first hit of the night with two outs in the third, singling to left off Miami’s Max Meyer. He wasted little time getting into scoring position, swiping second on a 2-0 slider. Simpson timed his jump perfectly, and with a 29.7 feet per second sprint speed, he slid into the bag so far ahead of Agustín Ramírez’s throw that Ronny Simon didn’t bother trying to tag him.

That number was far better than MLB’s average sprint speed (27 ft/sec), per Baseball Savant, but it pales in comparison to his top mark. Simpson, 24, has 11 of the 50 fastest recorded speeds in the league this season, beating out names like Trea Turner and Bobby Witt Jr. for the most appearances on that leaderboard.

Simpson needed far less briskness as he breezed around third to score following a Yandy Díaz single that smacked off of Meyer’s right ankle and trickled into left. The run was Tampa Bay’s first of the night, while Simpson accounted for half of the team’s total runs output.

“We’ve seen it the couple weeks that he’s been here,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “It’s a lot on the pitcher – [he] has to change probably his routine on the mound. The defense … every time he comes up to the plate, the corners are in a spot that they’re normally not, so they really have to respect the speed.

“It’s a game-changing element, and definitely [changes the game] when he’s putting pressure on by making so much contact like he does.”

Simpson’s athleticism is heralded in baseball circles. He stole 94 bases between Single-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green in 2023, and followed that sum with 104 in ‘24 between Bowling Green and Double-A Montgomery. That cemented him in Minor League history as the first player since ‘12 to reach at least 100 steals in a season.

Still, the scope of his treachery remains unbeknownst to most Major League defenses -- at least that is, in person.

Simpson was called up to Majors on April 18, and he made his debut against the Yankees the next day. He already leads the Rays in multi-steal games (five) and infield hits (10), and he has the team’s longest hitting streak of the season (eight games from April 19-27).

Simpson is a pressure cooker for opposing defenses, and in the fifth inning against Miami, he turned the heat up another notch.

With a man on third, Simpson slapped a dribbler to Simon at second. Despite the swing having just an 8% hit probability, Simpson bolted down the line in a flash, forcing an errant throw from Simon that allowed Simpson to take second. He came around eight pitches later on a single to center from Josh Lowe.

“[My goal is] just to continue to put pressure on the defense every time I come to the plate,” Simpson said. “And I knew in this situation, we had a guy on third in scoring position, and it was a crucial run.”

While Simpson is known for his speed, he’s also known for his lack of power, having hit just one professional home run – an inside-the-parker – since 2022. But the burgeoning outfielder is eager to show folks that a player can be effective without that tool.

“Getting on base, most importantly, [is how I can impact the game],” Simpson said. “Whether that’s a bunt, a base hit, a walk

“And then just being able to move guys over, get runs in, play good defense, being able to take the extra 90 feet: stolen base, passed ball, sac fly. And then just being able to look for extra ways to score runs.”

Simpson is young, but thus far he has shown that he has the skills and the mindset to be an important everyday player.

“Chandler’s still finding his way,” Cash said. “But there’s a lot of things that he does that really excite you.”