During the 2023 campaign, the Tampa Bay Rays battled adversity to make another playoff appearance. One player who was crucial to their success was Isaac Paredes. The former Tiger saw an increase in playing time and took advantage of his opportunity.
In 141 games, Paredes set career highs in home runs with 31 and RBI with 98. He also was a doubles machine with 24. While the 24-year-old only posted a .250 batting average, he came through in clutch situations and was able to stay healthy.
Due to his play, the expectations will be higher for Paredes in 2024. The Rays lineup will look mostly the same and include stars such as Randy Arozarena and Josh Lowe. As a result, Paredes should still have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.
While Paredes was a force at the plate, he was also solid in the field. He only committed 11 errors and added 213 assists to his resume. It was his highest assist total in any season of his career.
During his breakout season, Paredes made franchise history. He became the second primary third baseman in franchise history to hit 30 home runs in a season, joining Evan Longoria, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
While the Rays could not reach their ultimate goal, hitting the 30-home run milestone is something Paredes didn’t take for granted.
“I’m very happy that it finally came,” Paredes told Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times in September.” I know when these milestones come, you get a little pressure on yourself. But I’m glad that I was able to finally accomplish it.”
Although Paredes’ production caught many by surprise, he had shown that he could be a power threat in the past. During the 2022 campaign, he hit 20 home runs in 111 games. The Rays liked what they saw and rewarded him with more playing time. It is a move that has played out well for both sides.
He was also one of the few Rays batters that did not struggle in the playoffs. In eight at-bats, Paredes posted a .375 batting average. During his career, he has five hits in 11 postseason at-bats. If the Rays return to the playoffs, Paredes has proven he can be counted on.
Consistency will be critical as the talented third baseman looks to build on his success. Last year, he struck out a career-high 104 times. That was partly due to his increased playing time, but it is still something to monitor. The Rays have few hitters who do as much damage as Paredes when he puts the ball in play.
While the Rays will be counting on Paredes heavily, he will be motivated to prove that the 2023 campaign was no fluke. Throughout his career, he has excelled with more playing time, which has not gone unnoticed. Throughout the offseason, Paredes has been involved in a few trade rumors.
However, the Rays decided to hang onto him and see Paredes as vital to the lineup.
