In an overall down Rays season, there actually was an MVP

ST. PETERSBURG — In some seasons it has been hard to pick the Rays’ MVP because several players put up big numbers and had impactful performances.

And some years, you’re handing a trophy to Tanyon Sturtze for going 11-12, 4.42 (for the 100-loss 2001 Devil Rays).

This year was somewhere in between.

No one player had a standout season, and the Rays’ lone All-Star (Isaac Paredes) was traded in July, but there were still several candidates worthy of consideration.

Though he got off to an inexplicable slow start, 2023 American League batting champ and team MVP Yandy Diaz worked his way back to solid...