Souza smacked a solo home run in his only at-bat in Friday's exhibition tie with the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

The slugging outfielder wrapped up spring with a stellar .370 average, two homers and nine RBI. Souza will look to build on the career-high 17 homers and 49 RBI he posted last season while curtailing the bloated strikeout rate that's plagued him over his first two big-league campaigns.

Souza went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI singles in Wednesday's 15-6 Grapefruit League win over the Orioles.

EDGE Analysis

Souza's spring average jumped to .326 following Wednesday's production and extended his hitting streak to five games. The slugging outfielder has only one home run during exhibition play but has added five other extra-base hits in the form of four doubles and one three-bagger. Souza's Achilles' heel, strikeout rate, is still a work in progress, as he's fanned 13 times over 43 at-bats.

Souza went 3-for-4 with three RBI from a pair of singles and a double, along with one run in Tuesday's 9-6 Grapefruit League split-squad win over the Orioles.

EDGE Analysis

Souza broke out of what had been a miserable spring slump with his outing, which included RBI in three straight at-bats for the slugging outfielder. The 27-year-old's average bumped up to .247 last season, but that number, along with a mammoth 34 percent strikeout rate, will be a focus for improvement in 2017.

Souza went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 9-7 exhibition loss to Team Colombia.

EDGE Analysis

Although it doesn't count towards his official tally, Wednesday's round-tripper was did break the ice for the slugger with respect to the long ball this spring. Souza has gotten off to a slow start, hitting just .167 (2-for-12) with an RBI, two runs and four strikeouts. The 33 percent whiff rate is naturally over a very small sample, but is still the type of number Souza wants to distance himself from in 2017 after having tallied 33.8 and 34 percent figures in that category over his first two major league seasons.

Souza (hip) made his spring debut in Wednesday's 5-5 Grapefruit League tie with the Phillies, tallying an RBI single in three at-bats.

EDGE Analysis

Souza brought home Patrick Leonard in the fifth, snapping a 2-2 tie at the time. The slugger is looking to build on his hot finish from last season, when he slashed .327/.407/.577 with four homers and six RBI in 52 September at-bats before his hip injury. Although he set career highs across the board in 2016, Souza will have a hard time making a major leap forward in 2017 without putting a considerable dent in last season's 34 percent strikeout rate.

Souza (hip) will make his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday against the Phillies, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Souza's spring debut has been slightly delayed while the Rays eased him in following hip surgery in September, but he's increased his activity in workouts in recent days and appears ready for his first at-bats of the spring. The 27-year-old is projected to serve as the Rays' primary right fielder to begin the season, though he could end up losing out on at-bats as the campaign wears on if he fails to cut down on the 34 percent strikeout rate he delivered in 2016.

Souza (hip) said his hip was responding well so far and is hoping to play in his first spring game on Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 27-year-old has been slightly behind schedule in spring after undergoing hip surgery last September, but his hip is feeling much better and he seems ready to make his spring debut Wednesday. Souza is looking to pick up where he left off before his injury, as he was slashing .327/.407/.577 in 52 at-bats in September before his season ended, although his production could see be more in line with his entire 2016 slash line (.247/.303/.409 in 430 at-bats) coming off major surgery. It will be a situation worth monitoring as he progresses through spring, as it is still unknown whether he'll be ready for Opening Day or not.

Souza, who was playing his best baseball in September before season-ending hip surgery, is facing a pivotal season in 2017, Mike Nabors of MLB.com reports. "I'm my biggest critic," Souza admits. "I know what my flaws are, and I try to improve them every year. For me, it's just consistency, trying to find avenues to explore that and be consistent day in and day out."

EDGE Analysis

The 27-year-old slugger was slashing .327/.407/.577 with four homers and six RBI over 52 at-bats in September before his season ended. Souza did set career highs in doubles (17), homers (17), RBI (49), average (.247) and slugging (.409) in 2016, but it was another high-water mark of a much more dubious nature, strikeouts, that leaves plenty of room for improvement in the coming season. Souza fanned 159 times, leading to a 34 percent strikeout rate. For Souza, who felt increased pressure after being a centerpiece of the trade between the Padres and Rays that saw All-Star Wil Myers head to San Diego, the key will be trying to stay within himself, as he seemed to be doing before his season's abrupt end. "I think you start listening to a lot of who you should be and forget who you really are," said Souza. "A lot [of hype] about my power, I think coming over here, [saw me] trying to do too much and hit 70 home runs in one year, which is just ridiculous. One of the biggest things that was instrumental in my career was trying not to do so much and be a hitter. That's all I'm trying to do is get back to that."

Rays Vice President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom said that Souza (hip) "will be ready for Opening Day or soon after," Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

The outfielder underwent hip surgery back in September, but it seems like his rehab is moving along well enough that he can be inserted back into the Rays outfield almost instantly once the regular season begins. The "soon after" caveat certainly isn't the thing fantasy owners wanted to hear, and a surgery as major as a hip surgery could inhibit his production a bit if he can't return to his previous form, so some caution should be taken when drafting him in case some effects from the surgery linger longer than expected.

Souza (hip) said Thursday that he is "doing great" and "about five weeks away from starting to sprint," MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 27-year-old battled discomfort throughout the summer months before undergoing surgery in September; specifically, to remove tissue from a labral tear and impingement in his left hip. Souza suggested he is encouraged after talking with several players who had the same procedure done, and both Souza and the Rays expect him to be ready come spring training. He struck out in more than a third of his plate appearance again in 2016 while his walk rate fell from 10.8 percent to 6.6 percent -- Souza will be at a crossroads of sorts in 2017.