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The Trop is a ground ball hitter’s paradise

Last season the Rays became an entirely different sort of team on offense, eschewing their power and strikeout approach for a more contact oriented team that both got on base more often and won games more often.

The Rays won 90 games with their new approach, and were the last team in the American League eliminated from the playoffs. Since the season ended, the team has continued to lean into the power-less approach by acquiring Yandy Diaz for Jake Bauers, and by skipping Nelson Cruz despite a relatively low cost salary.

A team eschewing power in the AL East is curious.