The Tampa Bay Rays have stumbled a little bit in recent weeks, but still have the best record in the American League and are a game ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East. They could be a team that makes some interesting moves at the trade deadline if they stay at the top of the division.
The top available starting pitcher is expected to be left-hander Tarik Skubal, who is currently on the injured list but making good progress after having bone chips removed from his pitching elbow.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently listed a few suitors that could be in the mix for the back-to-back American League Cy Young winner, and among them were the Rays.
“The Rays are my sleeper team to land Skubal as team president Erik Neander is one of the smartest executives in the game and has a long history of making stealth attempts to acquire players like Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman,” Bowden writes.
“The Rays’ farm system is loaded and they could get creative in making an offer, starting with outfielder Theo Gillen, their top prospect, and right-handers Anderson Brito and Ty Nichols. Then they can finish the proposal with shortstop Victor Valdez. A strong package of these four prospects would really bode well for the future of the Tigers and, at the same time, give the Rays a legitimate chance to get back to the World Series.”
Rays Named Fit for Skubal
The Rays are an interesting potential fit for Skubal in that they do have the prospects to get a deal done, but don’t always make splashy moves at the trade deadline or in the offseason. It’s also important to remember that Skubal is a free agent at the end of this season.
The Rays are not a team that is going to be able to extend Skubal if they acquire him. They also likely won’t be in the mix to re-sign him if they allow him to enter free agency, simply because they are a small-market team.
The usual suspects will be in the mix for Skubal now and when he enters free agency, but the Rays could potentially put together a strong return package. The Tigers will ask for a lot in return, but the Rays could be in good shape if they want to try for him. They just have to decide whether it’s worth it to trade several top prospects for just a few months of Skubal.
Skubal’s Injury Still a Concern
There are obviously still concerns, and that mainly has to do with the fact that not only is Skubal recovering from an injury, but he also has a long history of arm injuries, so that is something the Rays will need to take into account if they want to pursue him.
He could give them that true ace that can start Game 1 of a playoff series if he’s healthy, but if he’s not, it may not be worth it to give up a lot of prospects for him.
Rays Named Sleeper for Tarik Skubal if ‘Strong Package’ is Included