Rays Reportedly Not Only AL East Team Interested in Adley Rutschman
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The Tampa Bay Rays have addressed one of their more glaring holes ahead of the MLB trade deadline, acquiring Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets to bolster their starting rotation.
Despite Peralta’s underwhelming performance thus far with the Mets, it is a great addition. He was an All-Star last year, and if any club can get him back on track, it is the Rays, who have a lengthy history of fixing pitchers.
With Shane McClanahan on the injured list, the need for a rotation upgrade was heightened. Tampa Bay reportedly may not be done adding starting pitchers, as they were listed among the suitors for Casey Mize of the Detroit Tigers.
But their most pressing need now is to upgrade the lineup. The Rays need to add at least one impact bat to help take pressure off their Big 3 of Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda.
Rays facing competition from Yankees, Red Sox for Adley Rutschman
And the player they could be targeting to accomplish that feat is Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles. However, they aren’t the only American League East team that is looking to upgrade behind the plate and has set its sights on a rival’s player.
“Keep in mind it is not just the Yankees in even just the AL East that have eyes on Rutschman, but the Rays and keep an eye on the surging Red Sox, who very much are trying to improve their roster,” wrote MLB Joel Sherman on X in reference to a post he wrote about Rutschman’s trade market.
This is one of the most intriguing storylines to follow in the final hours of the MLB trade deadline. The AL East has turned into a three-horse race with the Boston Red Sox's surge over the last few weeks.
All three of Tampa Bay, the New York Yankees and the Red Sox are looking for help behind the plate. A bidding war between those three is a dream come true for the Orioles, who may not be shopping Rutschman, but could receive some incredibly strong offers if the AL East rivals know the others are making a push.
Keep in mind it is not just the Yankees in even just the AL East that have eyes on Rutschman, but the Rays and keep an eye on the surging Red Sox, who very much are trying to improve their roster. https://t.co/Z6kKpHmR5j
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 3, 2026
Complicating matters even further is the fact that Rutschman is currently on the 10-day injured list with left wrist inflammation. He should be back in the lineup before the end of August, but that will certainly change what teams are willing to offer if he won’t be helping them for a few more weeks.
This season has been a solid bounce-back for the three-time All-Star, who has an OPS+ of 115, his highest mark since 2023. He has a .251/.331/.433 slash line with eight home runs, 19 doubles and 47 RBI.
Rutschman would be a major upgrade for the Rays behind the plate and is a well-regarded defender as well. Tampa Bay has been on a never-ending search for catching help essentially since its inception, and the Baltimore backstop would help bring that to an end.
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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.