Rays' Potential Trade Target Reportedly Will Not Be Dealt This Winter

A potential target for the Tampa Bay Rays this winter is reportedly not going to be dealt.

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have been busy this offseason, but there is still work to be done if they want to be a contender. However, one target that they have been linked to is reportedly coming off the board. 

Coming into the winter, the Rays were a team that wanted to make some improvements and become a contender once again. For the last two years, Tampa Bay has missed the playoffs, and that is something that they would like to change. 

To start the winter, the Rays looked like they were going to be a team that was trying hard to improve. They added three veteran free agents fairly quickly and were an early winner this winter. However, in typical Rays fashion, they then traded some key veterans and were building toward the future. 

Trading both Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz undoubtedly impacted their ability to win in 2026. With some new needs coming up for the team, the thought was that they would seek some new players to bring in to upgrade spots. One player that they have been linked to is Ketel Marte. However, recent reports indicate that he is not going to be traded. 

Marte Reportedly Off the Board

Ketel Marte will not be traded this offseason, per @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/f6QKQvmrWZ

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 9, 2026

Right around the winter meetings, the star slugger from the Arizona Diamondbacks was a name that was mentioned quite frequently in rumors. Tampa Bay was shockingly a team that was linked to him at the time, with their surplus of pitching. 

However, nothing obviously came about at the time, and it seems that Marte will now be staying with Arizona. The talented slugger could have been a game-changer for the Rays or any other team that he could have been dealt to. 

Now, with Marte coming off the board, it will be interesting to see where they pivot to. If the team honestly does want to be a contender, they are going to have to improve their offense. There are simply too many spots in the lineup that can be seen as a weakness right now offensively, and that will have to change. 

If pursuing a second baseman is the goal, Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals could be the next best option for the team to potentially pursue. Furthermore, there are still free agents like J.T. Realmuto who would provide a spark behind the plate. Overall, with Marte coming off the board, it will be interesting to see where Tampa Bay might look to improve.