The Tampa Bay Rays started the offseason off by sending
right-handed pitcher Nathan Karns and CJ Riefenhauser to the Seattle Mariners for a
package revolving around Brad Miller but the Tampa Bay GM may not be done
there. According to Marc Topkin of TampaBay.com the Rays may not be done there
and they may be in the market to sell off another starting pitcher or more,
well a starting pitcher not named Chris Archer anyway. I know this is extremely
unlikely, a team trading to a division rival they are in direct competition
with inside the American League East Division, but if the Rays keep selling
hopefully Brian Cashman is calling and hopefully Brian Cashman is buying.
Money is the ultimate motivating factor for Tampa Bay so
having pitchers with question marks and health concerns surrounding them may
move to the top of the trade list for the Rays. Players like LHP Drew Smyly who
battled shoulder issues for much of the 2015 season and comes attached to
around $4 million in salary through arbitration. Players like LHP Matt Moore
who will make $5 million in salary in the final season of his deal before three
team options kick in. Moore missed a significant chunk of the 2015 season after
undergoing Tommy John surgery and struggled with his command upon his return.
Speaking of Tommy John surgery Alex Cobb should be back on the mound from the
UCL ligament replacement surgery around August if there aren’t any setbacks.
Outside of the rotation the team could trade first baseman
James Loney to one of the many teams that will miss out on Chris Davis on the
free agency market. The team could also look at trading Brad Boxberger,
although the team would have to be blown away since he is still relatively
effective and on the cheaper side. Tampa has plenty of moveable contracts and
attractive pieces that they could literally do as they pleased this winter. Any
and all of these moves could open the door for a short-term deal with a veteran
such as Rich Hill and could also open the door for top prospects LHP Blake
Snell and RHP’s Taylor Guerrieri and Jacob Faria.
The Yankees would obviously have little interest in Boxberger,
Loney or Cobb (unless it was essentially a salary dump which Tampa won’t do)
but you have to think that either Moore or Smyly would at least interest Brian
Cashman somewhat. I’m not saying a deal is going to get made, and I’m
especially not saying it’s going to involve the New York Yankees, but what I am
saying is that if the conversations are happening I hope Cashman is at least on
the conference call list.
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)