While major markets lay out the welcome mat for Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Cody Bellinger, the Tampa Bay Rays are spending their offseason trying to maximize cost efficiency. That apparently revolves around trading starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who should probably be counting his remaining days in St. Petersburg based on the latest report.

“The market for Glasnow has heated up in recent days, and rival executives expect Tampa Bay to move him sooner than later,” ESPN's MLB insider Jeff Passan wrote on Friday. The Chicago Cubs have already engaged the organization in talks for the 30-year-old right-hander, and there could also be a few World Series contenders who are motivated to enter the race.

This scenario seemed inevitable when revisiting the extension the Rays signed Glasnow to in August of 2022. Locking down one of the club's best starters in the short-term with the option to deal him away before having to pay the bulk of the contract ($25 million in 2024) is the type of philosophy that defines this franchise.

It can be a volatile lifestyle for the fans, who know it is unwise to get overly attached to a player, particularly a pitcher. Tampa astonishingly churns out quality arms year after year, but the 2024 campaign presents more obstacles than usual. Shane McClanahan, Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen are all rehabbing after undergoing major elbow surgeries.

Therefore, trading Tyler Glasnow will leave the Rays' rotation worryingly thin. He has weathered his own share of injury problems but still has a respectable 3.89 ERA in 127 games pitched. Though, Glasnow's poor postseason track record might make this impending move hurt a little less for fans.

But fortunately for the front office, there seems to be high-demand for the veteran hurler.