Rays Could Look to Trade From Surplus of Players at This Position Group

Will the Tampa Bay Rays look to move some players from this position group this winter?

Oct 6, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays president Erik Neander during the ALDS workout day against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

With the winter meetings underway in Orlando, Florida, the Tampa Bay Rays are going to be a very busy team. 

Coming into the winter, the Rays were a team that was expected to be a busy one. Tampa Bay is no stranger to being both a buyer and a seller at the same time, and they could do that as well this winter. Recently, it was surprising to see the team not pick up the option on closer Pete Fairbanks and try to trade him. 

However, while they might not have picked up the option of Fairbanks, they did for Brandon Lowe. Their All-Star slugger is coming off a fantastic campaign and could bring back a nice return if the team does elect to move him. 

While Lowe is arguably the top trade candidate for the team, recent decisions have created a surplus of players at one position group, and Tampa Bay could elect to trade a few players. 

Adam Berry of MLB recently spoke about the surplus of outfielders that Tampa Bay has heading into the winter meetings and that the team is going to have to look to move some of them. 

Recent Additions Will Result in Change

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

With the recent signings of Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley, the team now has a ton of options in the outfield and limited spots to play them. Mullins figures to be coming in as an everyday starter, but the other places could be up in the air. While Fraley obviously isn’t going anywhere, they will have a number of different players whom they could entertain moving. 

Of the options, the team could potentially look to move Josh Lowe, Chandler Simpson, Jake Mangum, Richie Palacios, and Tristan Peters. While it is good to have depth, the Rays have too much in the outfield. 

When looking at the roster, moving one of the speedsters, such as Magnum or Simpson, could be the option for the team. Others would likely enjoy adding one of those players to help improve production on the base paths. For Tampa Bay, their goal this winter was to add slugging in that department, so moving one of them could make sense. 

Overall, the Rays are in a good position if they do decide to make a trade. Outfield depth appears to be something that other teams are seeking, and Tampa Bay has options. Even if the returns wouldn’t be great, it could help them in different areas.