The Tampa Bay Rays have made an unusual front-office change in the middle of their push for the American League East title, parting ways with two members of their international scouting department.
The organization dismissed Jeff Johnson, its manager of international scouting, along with Rigoberto de los Santos, the Dominican Republic regional crosschecker and Santo Domingo area scout.
The moves were first reported by baseball insider Francys Romero on X, adding another layer of intrigue to an organization that has long placed significant value on its international talent pipeline.
The timing of the decisions stands out with Tampa Bay currently sitting atop a competitive division. Front-office changes involving personnel responsible for identifying and evaluating international prospects are more commonly associated with an offseason restructuring.
Johnson and de los Santos held important roles in a department that helps shape the organization’s talent pipeline beyond the major league roster. Their departures could therefore have implications for how the Rays approach international scouting moving forward.
The changes also come while Tampa Bay continues navigating significant roster challenges. The Rays have dealt with injuries across the pitching staff and position-player group, forcing manager Kevin Cash to rely heavily on organizational depth.
Despite those challenges, the major league club has continued to produce results. Tampa Bay entered Friday with an 83-57 record, holding a three-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East.
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That success makes the timing of the scouting shakeup even more notable. The Rays are simultaneously trying to protect their position at the top of the division while making decisions that could shape the organization’s future.
For now, the focus on the field remains straightforward: Tampa Bay wants to finish the regular season with its division lead intact.
Off the field, however, the departures of Johnson and de los Santos signal that changes are taking place within an important part of the Rays’ baseball operations structure.
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