Rays Slugger Predicted to be Trade Target for Padres This Winter

A star slugger from the Tampa Bay Rays was recently predicted to be a trade target for the San Diego Padres.

Jun 17, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; A detail view of a San Diego Padres hat on a glove in the dugout in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The offseason has started for the Tampa Bay Rays, and this winter will be an interesting one for the direction of the franchise. Even though the team finished under the .500 mark, there are a lot of good things in place for the franchise. 

It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the Rays have a bounce-back year and be able to once again contend for a playoff spot in 2026, even if they might play in the toughest division in baseball. Tampa Bay has always done a good job of finding and developing young talent, and they still have a very strong farm system despite the emergence of some young stars like Junior Caminero. 

However, while there might be a lot of good things in place, until proven otherwise by new ownership they are a low payroll team and very rarely will they let a free agent walk without getting anything in return. This winter, they will have a few key players entering what could be the last year of their contracts, and the Rays generally will trade these players. 

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently listed Rays star infielder Brandon Lowe as a potential trade target for the San Diego Padres. 

Lowe Makes Sense for Padres

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

It was a frustrating way to have their season come to an end for San Diego. This was a team that had an excellent year in 2025 and was very aggressive in trying to make some noise in October. Unfortunately, a brutal call helped contribute to them losing in Game 3 against the Chicago Cubs. 

Now, the Padres will be entering an offseason in which they have a lot of their key players likely heading toward free agency and this team could be much different looking. With one of those free agents being Luis Arraez, San Diego will likely need a replacement externally. 

For the Padres, Brandon Lowe would make a lot of sense as a player to pursue in the trade market. The talented slugger is coming off a fantastic year in which he was able to stay healthy and put up some impressive numbers. Overall, the slugger slashed .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs and 83 RBI. 

Lowe has the ability to play either second base or first base, which would give San Diego some nice positional flexibility to use. With the ability to be an impact bat in the middle of the order, he would pair nicely with some of the talented stars on the Padres.