Sitting just above .500 for the season, the Tampa Bay Rays appear to be prioritizing the future, and they could be the beneficiaries of two teams — the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers — determined to make a run to the World Series this year since both reportedly have major interest in Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes.
The Dodgers, currently the top team in the NL West, and the Yankees, an AL East rival of the Rays who are just a game back from first place in the division, are bidding against each other in the Paredes sweepstakes, according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today. And there's also a third playoff hopeful interested in the third baseman: the Houston Astros.
“The Tampa Bay Rays have a nice bidding war going between the Dodgers and Yankees for Paredes,” Nightengale wrote. “Astros also named here: The Houston Astros are desperately trying to land a starter, focusing on Flaherty and Feddex, and would also love to acquire Rays infielder Isaac Paredes, too.”
Isaac Paredes starting a bidding war ahead of MLB trade deadline
A first-time All-Star this year, Isaac Paredes has performed well for a middling Tampa Rays team that has been open to selling as the MLB trade deadline approaches. Paredes, 25, is having one of the best seasons of his career and could just be getting started.
After a year in which he had 31 home runs and 98 RBIs, as well as .250 AVG, .352 OBP, .488 SLG, and .840 OPS, Paredes is on pace for another 25 home runs and nearly 90 RBIs this season.
Paredes has earned 2.9 fWAR this season, which ranks 20th in the AL and ahead of every Yankees batter other than Aaron Judge and Juan Soto (first and third in the AL, respectively). The Yankees have struggled with consistency at third base, with DJ LeMahieu, the team's regular 3B, batting .176 AVG, .271 OBP, .221 SLG, and .492 OPS.
The Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Houston Astros are all competing for playoff spots; the Yankees currently hold the top AL Wild Card spot and very easily could slide to first in the AL East, the Dodgers have a 5.5-game lead in the NL West, and the Astros hold a one-game edge in the AL West.
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