Rays Make Splash Trading for Liam Hicks From Marlins
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The biggest need for the Tampa Bay Rays coming into the season and ahead of the MLB trade deadline was acquiring an impact bat for their lineup.
Their Big 3 of third baseman Junior Caminero, designated hitter Yandy Diaz and first baseman Jonathan Aranda have been excellent. A few of the role players have stepped up, such as Victor Mesa Jr., Ryan Vilade and Jonny DeLuca, but help hasn’t been too consistent behind them.
That could very well change after the Rays made a shocking splash ahead of the MLB trade deadline. According to MLB insider Jeff Passan of ESPN, Tampa Bay has acquired Liam Hicks from the Miami Marlins.
This is a huge addition for the Rays, who addressed one of the most glaring holes in their lineup at catcher. While Hicks hasn’t been playing there a ton with the Marlins because of the presence of Joe Mack, he will likely be behind the plate more with Tampa Bay.
Rays acquire Liam Hicks from Marlins to address catcher need
He has also played some first base for Miami, giving the Rays a versatile piece who manager Kevin Cash can move around the defensive alignment. However, the main reason that he is being brought to Tampa Bay is his bat.
Hicks has been an impact performer at the plate this season. He has an OPS+ of 124 to go with an impressive .282/.363/.432 slash line. 14 home runs and nine doubles have been hit, and he is a legitimate run producer with 62 RBI, which leads the Marlins.
Most importantly, his approach at the plate fits perfectly into what the Rays do. Already the owners of the lowest team strikeout rate in the MLB, Hicks is going to make their lineup even more difficult to navigate.
BREAKING: The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring catcher Liam Hicks in a trade with the Miami Marlins, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026
He has a 9.5% strikeout rate, which is in the 98th percentile. His 10.9% whiff rate is also in the 98th percentile, as he fits the patient, contact-centric approach the team takes. He doesn’t chase pitches and draws walks at an above-average rate as well.
With a nice left-handed swing, he will provide Caminero with the kind of protection in the lineup that he has been lacking all season. It hasn’t negatively impacted his performance, as he remains one of the scariest power hitters in the MLB, but he could see even better pitches to hit now with Hicks behind him in the lineup.
This is the second splash Tampa Bay has made after acquiring starting pitcher Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets. An arm for the rotation was near the top of their wishlist before Shane McClanahan went down with a back injury, only increasing their need for a hurler.
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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.