At 40-41, the Tampa Bay Rays will need to be active at the trade deadline if they want to make a playoff push. But for the Rays to reach maximum roster value, Tampa Bay must first consider trading away some starting pitching.
The Rays have Zach Eflin, Aaron Civale, Taj Bradley, Zack Littell and Ryan Pepiot already in their rotation. Shane Baz and Jeffrey Springs are both nearing returns as well. Tampa Bay has too many options for too few spots, making a trade of starting pitching all the more likely, via Will Sammon, Katie Woo and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic.
For a trade to actually happen, a few things first need to be in place. Baz is considered further along than Springs, but both are rehabbing their injuries in Triple-A. Both need to avoid setbacks and make a healthy return to the diamond before any final decision is made.
Furthermore, the Rays need to see exactly where they stand playoff wise come the trade deadline. As of late June, Tampa Bay is 11 games behind of the AL East leading New York Yankees. They're four games out of the final Wild Card spot. If the Rays are going to trade pitching, they need to know whether they'll be doing so as sellers or as buyers looking to recoup an immediate return.
Whichever option they choose, Tampa Bay isn't prepared to go into a full rebuild. Even if their 2024 playoff hopes don't come to fruition, President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander is expecting to roster a competitive team in 2025. Any trades the Rays make will simply be to best optimize their roster based on strengths and needs.
Tampa Bay still has plenty of questions to answer before the trade deadline occurs. But teams are already expecting the Rays to have some starting pitching available on the trade block.
Best Rays trade options
If Tampa Bay were to swing a deal – or several – Civale and Littell are named as the pitchers most likely to be traded. Both players are under contract through the 2026 season. Neither Civale or Littell carry much weight in terms of contract, making them appealing options for teams in need of pitching.
Civale came over to the Rays in a trade from the Cleveland Guardians in 2023. His first 10 games with the team saw him post a 2-3 record with a 5.36 ERA and a 58/11 K/BB ratio. Things haven't looked much better, as Civale holds a 2-5 record with a 5.20 ERA and a 82/23 K/BB ratio.
Things aren't all bad, Civale's strikeout and walk numbers look solid. Furthermore, he posted a 5-2 record with a 2.34 ERA and a 58/22 K/BB ratio over his first 13 starts with Cleveland in 2023. If made available, Civale should draw interest despite his disappointing Tampa Bay tenure.
Littell came to the team at the same time, being claimed off of waivers from the Boston Red Sox in 2023. He appeared in 26 games, starting 14 of them and pitching to a 3-6 record with a 3.93 ERA and a 72/9 K/BB ratio. In 2024, he was moved to full time starting pitcher, making 16 starts thus far. Littell holds a 2-5 record, a 4.17 ERA and a 82/16 K/BB ratio.
The strikeouts are surely eye-catching when it comes to Littell. And while he has only started in 2024, his past relief experience would make him a cheap, versatile option for any contending team.
The Rays must first find out if they will be contenders themselves. But with a wealth of starting pitching, a Tampa Bay trade almost seems inevitable.
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