Rays Now Have Plethora of Assets to Pursue Another Blockbuster Trade

Do the Tampa Bay Rays have the assets to pull off another big trade?

Oct 7, 2021; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays general manager Erik Neander before game one of the 2021 ALDS at Tropicana Field. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

With the holidays nearly here, the Tampa Bay Rays had a hectic Friday afternoon with a couple of massive trades. 

Coming into the winter, the Rays were always going to be a team to watch on the trade market with a couple of veterans who were recognized as top trade candidates. That proved to be true recently, with the team moving two key players on Friday for a haul of prospects. 

This was a Tampa Bay farm system that was pretty good going into the offseason, but now it is absolutely loaded after grabbing a number of top prospects from both the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles. 

In order to get this new influx of talent, the team had to part ways with Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz. Both of these players were key contributors to the team in 2025, and the loss of their production will undoubtedly be felt. However, just because the Rays dealt some key players, it doesn't mean that they will be sitting on their hands for the rest of the winter. 

Now, the team has a ton of new prospects that they could look to trade for some controllable talent for the next couple of years. Furthermore, it puts them in a great spot to pursue one of the top players rumored to be available. 

Rays Have a Plethora of Assets to Pull Off Another Trade

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Following the trades, the farm system for Tampa Bay is absolutely loaded, and they are going to be able to be a major player as a buyer now if they would like to. One player that they have been linked to and makes even more sense following the trade of Lowe is Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

The talented slugger is rumored to be the top prize on the trade market right now, and the Rays could be the team with the potential best assets to acquire him. While the Diamondbacks would like some major-league-ready players, especially at starting pitcher, the amount of prospects Tampa Bay could offer would be impressive. 

Overall, while it might have felt like the Rays were waving the white flag on the 2026 campaign, their actions following those moves will be key. If they elect to pursue a player like Marte, it would be a sign that they are still trying to contend this coming season. Tampa Bay is no stranger to being both a buyer and a seller, and that could be the route the team is going this offseason.