This Trade With Phillies Has Become a Massive Mistake by Rays

Which trade for the Tampa Bay Rays has become a massive mistake?

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

As the Tampa Bay Rays continue with the early part of spring training, the team is going to be focused on trying to improve during the 2026 campaign. However, they likely wish that they could have one trade back from their past. 

The Rays might not have a large payroll, but that hasn’t stopped them from being able to contend since the franchise began. Tampa Bay has always been able to have a strong front office that does a good job getting the most out of what they are able to spend. 

A lot of that success comes from being able to find and identify players and develop them. Generally speaking, a team should always raise an eyebrow when the Rays come knocking, asking for a player who perhaps is underperforming or a bit of an unknown. Being able to make these savvy trades helps save them money and puts a good product on the field for the team. However, the Rays aren’t perfect, and they did make a mistake on a player who has turned out to be a great pitcher. 

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently wrote about one trade that continues to haunt the Rays, being the decision to trade left-hander Cristopher Sanchez to the Philadelphia Phillies for Curtis Mead. 

Massive Mistake by Tampa Bay Looking Back

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

In the offseason of 2019, the Rays elected to trade the young left-hander to the Phillies in exchange for Mead, with a bit of a logjam on the 40-man roster. Even though it has taken him some time to develop, he has become one of the best pitchers in the National League and would have been a great fit for the Rays’ rotation. 

Following a breakout campaign in 2024 in which he made his first All-Star team, he was able to have the best season of his career in 2025. Last year, he totaled a 13-5 record and 2.50 ERA in 202 innings pitched. The southpaw was able to total a bWAR of 8.0 and finished second in the NL Cy Young voting. 

While it is always easy to play Monday morning quarterback, this is a trade that is undoubtedly haunting the Rays now. Mead never amounted to much for them, and Sanchez has become an elite pitcher. Having him in the rotation right now would have made competing in the American League East much easier, and they would have had one of the best rotations in baseball. Even though it doesn’t happen often, this was certainly a mistake by Tampa Bay.