One Trade Target the Rays Must Pivot to After Missing Out on Tarik Skubal
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The Tampa Bay Rays were one of the teams viewed as one of the favorites to acquire Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers if they were to make him available.
Well, he was made available, and the only team listed as a better fit ended up pulling off a deal for him. Instead, it was the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers who acquired the two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner.
Heading to the Tigers in the trade are three prospects: outfielder Zyhir Hope, right-handed pitcher River Ryan and right-handed pitcher Brady Smith. They are the Nos. 5, 7 and 17 ranked prospects in the Dodgers’ system.
While Skubal is off the board, Tampa Bay now has to look elsewhere for pitching help. They have been linked to several other starting pitchers, such as Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes of the New York Mets.
Rays should swing for Joe Ryan with Tarik Skubal traded
Both would be great additions to a starting rotation that recently lost Shane McClanahan to the injured list with a back ailment. However, the one trade target the Rays must pivot to now is a hurler they are familiar with: Joe Ryan.
He was the player traded to the Minnesota Twins when the Rays acquired Nelson Cruz ahead of the MLB trade deadline in 2021. The AL Central contenders look like they are buyers right now, but Tampa Bay has a deep farm system that they should make a strong offer to the Twins and see if they bite.
Losing out on the Skubal sweepstakes will sting, especially since he went to an already loaded Dodgers squad. Ryan isn’t on that level, but he is a reliable frontline starter who would bolster this rotation alongside Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez, Griffin Jax and McClanahan when he is healthy.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are acquiring Tarik Skubal for outfielder Zyhir Hope, right-hander River Ryan and right-hander Brady Smith, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2026
The likelihood of a deal involving Ryan is low, but he is an ideal target for the Rays because he isn’t a rental. He is under team control through 2027, which would likely mean the team being more comfortable parting ways with a higher-ranked prospect knowing they would be getting more than a few months of production from the veteran righty.
The team’s No. 1 ranked prospect, Theo Gillen, wasn’t going to be involved in Skubal trade talks. He should be off the table in general, but there is more than enough talent in this farm system to make a compelling offer to Minnesota for their ace.
These two teams do have history working together on trades as well. Ahead of the deadline last year, Taj Bradley was sent from Tampa Bay to the Twins in exchange for Jax, who was viewed as a high-leverage relief pitcher at the time but has transitioned successfully into being a starting pitcher.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.