Last Updated on November 25, 2024 by Matt Musico

The Tampa Bay Rays are known for scrappy, strategic baseball, especially since their first postseason run in 2008. If you’re playing the Immaculate Grid game, you know there’s a category for players with 100-plus RBI in a season. Can you name every Rays 100 RBI season in franchise history?

If you can’t, then don’t worry — just scroll down and study up for the next time you see “Tampa Bay” and “100-plus RBI” intersect on your grid.

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Every Rays 100 RBI Season in History

Carlos Peña, 2007: 121 RBI

Carlos Peña’s 2007 season remains the gold standard for run production in Rays history. His 121 RBI were the most in a single season, thanks to his 46 home runs (which is also a franchise record) and an impressive .411 on-base percentage. Nearly half of his RBI (51) came with two outs, showcasing his ability to deliver in important situations. This breakout season was the beginning of an impressive three-year stretch. We’ll talk more about that in a bit.

Jorge Cantu, 2005: 117 RBI

Jorge Cantu might be the most surprising name on this list, but his 2005 campaign was no fluke. He drove in 117 runs, leading the team despite the Rays finishing last in the AL East. His knack for hitting with runners in scoring position (.325 average with 11 homers and 86 RBI) made him a constant threat in the middle of the lineup. The 28 homers he hit was also a single-season career-high mark.

Evan Longoria, 2009: 113 RBI

Evan Longoria’s 2009 season showcased his all-around excellence. He registered 113 RBI, and it came in a variety of ways. Longo excelled with runners on, hitting .317 in those situations while also leading the team with 14 game-winning RBI. His balance of power (33 homers) and situational hitting made him the face of the franchise during one of its most competitive eras.

Aubrey Huff, 2003: 107 RBI

Aubrey Huff emerged as one of Tampa Bay’s first true stars in 2003. His 107 RBI was a new franchise record, and he did it while slugging .555 and smashing 34 homers. Huff’s ability to thrive in the cleanup spot gave the early Rays a rare offensive bright spot and an anchor in their lineup.

Fred McGriff, 2000: 106 RBI

The “Crime Dog,” brought veteran savvy to Tampa Bay’s young franchise. In 2000, he drove in 106 runs, becoming the first Rays player to break the 100-RBI barrier. His consistency was remarkable—he had an RBI in 67 different games that year, proving that he was a big part of the offense having success. McGriff still had plenty of pop in his age-36 campaign, slugging 27 dingers.

Every Rays 100 RBI Season in History

Austin Meadows, 2021: 106 RBI

Austin Meadows joined this elite group with a stellar 2021 season that included 106 RBI. What’s remarkable is Meadows achieved this while hitting just .234 overall. He was quite efficient with runners in scoring position, as his batting average jumped up to .299. His performance also included 27 homers. It was the second time in three years he surpassed the 25-homer plateau for the Rays.

Fred McGriff, 1999: 104 RBI

As it turns out, McGriff’s 106-RBI output in 2000 was just a continuation of what he did the year before. The Hall of Famer drove in 104 runs while hitting 32 home runs in ‘99, proving himself as the franchise’s first offensive star. Between 1998 and 2000, McGriff slashed .290/.383/.481 while averaging 26 homers, 27 doubles, 97 RBI and 77 runs scored.

Aubrey Huff, 2004: 104 RBI

Huff replicated his 2003 performance with another 104 RBI in 2004. It was his third straight year with at least 20 homers in a season. That was a streak he’d continue through 2006. While Huff had a couple of big seasons later in his career, the three-year run from 2003-05 was his best. He slugged 20-plus homers with 90-plus each campaign and posted a .844 OPS over 2,0009 plate appearances.

Evan Longoria, 2010: 104 RBI

Longoria’s second 100-RBI season was a testament to his adaptability. With a career-high 46 doubles, Longoria put the outfield gaps to work, driving in runs even without clearing the fences. He also led the league in sacrifice flies with 12, showcasing his ability to get the job done no matter the situation. This was also the final time he surpassed the century mark during his career. He had a couple of close calls in other years with the Rays, though (99 in 2011 and 98 in 2016).

Carlos Peña, 2008: 102 RBI

Coming off his historic 2007 campaign, Peña kept the momentum going in 2008. His 102 RBI were a key part of the Rays’ first-ever playoff run, and he saved his best work for when it mattered most—Peña drove in 55 runs after the All-Star break and improved his OPS from .778 to .978. His second-half surge powered Tampa Bay to an AL East title and a trip to the World Series.

Carlos Peña, 2009: 100 RBI

There goes that man again – Peña’s finishings this list with his third 100-RBI season in three years. Despite missing the final month of the season due to injury, Peña managed to drive in 100 runs, hitting 39 home runs in just 135 games. His ability to maintain elite production in a shortened season speaks to just how good of a hitter he was during his prime.

All stats are courtesy of Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

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