Rays Reportedly Trade Talented Pitcher to Orioles For Haul of Prospects

The Tampa Bay Rays have reportedly sent one of their starting pitchers to the Baltimore Orioles for a haul of prospects.

Jul 4, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the Baltimore Orioles 4th of July hat in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

With the offseason rolling on, the Tampa Bay Rays have recently been highly active with a couple of significant trades brewing for the franchise. 

It has been a busy winter as expected for the Rays. This was a team that was coming into the offseason seeking to make some improvements, and they have started to begin that process. During the early parts of free agency, the team signed outfielders Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley to help provide some more power in the outfield. 

Furthermore, the team also signed veteran southpaw Steven Matz during the winter meetings. Even though he came out of the bullpen in 2025, Tampa Bay is going to give him a chance to be a starter once again. If that doesn’t work out, he was excellent coming out of the bullpen and could be utilized there. 

Recently, the team is reportedly close to getting a massive three-team trade done with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros that would send Brandon Lowe, most notably, to the Pirates. In return, they would be adding some talented prospects from the Astros in Jacob Melton and Anderson Brito. 

While that trade is a significant one, they are also reportedly trading starter Shane Baz to the Baltimore Orioles, according to Jeff Passan. 

Trade news: The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring right-hander Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Slater de Brun, catcher Caden Bodine, right-hander Michael Forret, outfielder Austin Overn as well as a Competitive Balance Round A pick, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 19, 2025

Tampa Bay Gets Haul of Prospects

Rays will receive OF Slater de Brun (Orioles No. 6), C Caden Bodine (Orioles No. 10), RHP Michael Forret (Orioles No. 11), OF Austin Overn (Orioles No. 30), and a competitive balance pick, per @Feinsand https://t.co/cGcBqCsGft

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 19, 2025

Baz was a name that recently popped up when it was reported that the team had some discussions with the Arizona Diamondbacks for Ketel Marte. The right-hander is a talented pitcher, and this trade to the Orioles has brought back four of their top 30 prospects, including three in the Top 15. 

Baltimore is a team that had a need for starting pitching, and they have paid a premium to get Baz from Tampa Bay. It appears to be a significant haul for the Rays, but with them nearing a trade of Lowe to the Pirates and Baz to the Orioles, and mainly getting prospects in return, the team is clearly trying to restock their farm system. 

With both of the veterans being dealt, the team, as of now, has taken a step back for 2026. While Tampa Bay could turn around and flip prospects for more proven players, that would be a bit of a surprise. 

Overall, it was a steep price for the Orioles to pay for a good pitcher, and the Rays should be pleased with the return. However, while it could help the team long-term, how they will try to improve now for 2026 will be interesting to see.