By USANewsToday Sports Desk

Outfielder Cedric Mullins has agreed to a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Financial terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed. Mullins, now 31, is represented by Cote Sports Management.

The signing represents a fresh opportunity for Mullins—once one of the most electric center fielders in baseball—to reset after a disappointing 2025 campaign and attempt a full-scale rebound in 2026.

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🔵 A Look Back: From 30–30 Superstar to Seeking a Reset

Mullins’ career reached its peak in 2021, when he delivered a historic 30 home runs / 30 stolen bases season while covering elite range in center field. He slashed:

• .291/.360/.518
• 136 wRC+
• 6.0 FanGraphs WAR

Since then, his production hasn’t quite matched that MVP-level breakout, but he remained a reliable, well-rounded contributor from 2022–2024:

• .244/.311/.407 slash line (103 wRC+)
• 85 stolen bases
• 7.7 WAR over three years

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🔵 2025: A Strong Start Followed by a Major Decline

Mullins’ 2025 season was a tale of two halves.

🔥 Red-hot April

• 6 HR
• .278/.412/.515
• 163 wRC+
• Looked on track for a massive free-agent payday

❄️ Five-Month Slump

From May 1 through the end of the season:

• .198/.263/.355
• Never regained momentum, even after a trade to the Mets

Final 2025 line:

• .216/.299/.391 (94 wRC+)
  Still close to league average—but far from ideal entering free agency.

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🔵 Defense No Longer a Sure Thing

While Mullins was once considered among MLB’s best defensive center fielders:

• Outs Above Average (OAA): Still positive, but declining
• DRS (Defensive Runs Saved):
  • Excellent earlier in career
  • -4 in 2024
  • -14 in 2025

Age and wear may be taking a toll, but evaluators still see him as a playable if less dynamic defender.

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🔵 Why the Rays Are a Perfect Fit

The Tampa Bay Rays have a long history of identifying undervalued veterans and helping them bounce back. Mullins brings:

• Above-average speed
• Left-handed pop
• Strong baseball IQ
• Playable defense in center
• A major upside if he rediscovers pre-2025 form

The deal is low risk, high reward for Tampa Bay—and a chance for Mullins to rebuild his market value before re-entering free agency in 2027.

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