The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to sign outfielder Cedric Mullins to a one-year $7 million deal, first reported by Rays insider Marc Topkin. Ken Rosenthal later revealed the value of the deal.
After spending parts of eight seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Mullins will return to the American League East this time as a member of the Rays.
Mullins had played his whole career in Baltimore up to last year's trade deadline, as the Orioles moved him to the New York Mets with his contract set to be up at the end of the season.
After posting 15.6 WAR from 2021-2024, Mullins took a step back in 2025, posting his lowest WAR since the shortened 2020 season. Additionally, Mullins posted full season career lows in batting average, OBP, SLG and OPS.
That said, Mullins has showed plenty of potential from the plate, earning a Silver Slugger and an All-Star appearance in 2021, a year in which he finished ninth in American League MVP award voting.
Despite having the fourth lowest payroll in 2025, the Rays have been spending a bit more in recent seasons. Last year, they signed Ha-Seong Kim to a two-year $29 million contract before he was waived and claimed by the Atlanta Braves.
With a down year in 2025, Tampa Bay took advantage of the opportunity to buy low on Mullins, with a chance for him to turn things around in 2026.
Only 31 years old, Mullins has plenty of baseball left ahead of him.
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