Tampa Bay Rays: Should They Trade Another Starting Pitcher?
By Tim Haberin
Even after dealing Drew Smyly, the Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly open to trading another starter. Given their other recent moves and current roster, should they proceed?
The Tampa Bay Rays, typically one of the league’s quieter teams, have had an interesting offseason so far. While they have made a few moves with the future in mind, they have also made others that seem to signal an intention to be competitive next season.
Though they already traded one starting pitcher recently, they might not be done dealing from the rotation. According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, the Rays “may be looking to deal another veteran pitcher before spring training.” The club sent left-hander Drew Smyly to the Seattle Mariners earlier this month in exchange for outfielder Mallex Smith, infielder Carlos Vargas and pitcher Ryan Yarbrough.
Smyly was hardly the only Rays hurler to be involved in trade rumors this winter. Speculation has followed Chris Archer and Alex Cobb as well, although Cafardo highlights righty Jake Odorizzi as perhaps the most likely candidate to be dealt prior to the start of the season.
Odorizzi would certainly generate interest in a weak offseason pitching market that is limping toward the finish line. The 26-year-old is coming off a solid season for Tampa Bay, one in which he posted a 3.69 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 3.07 K/BB ratio over 187.2 innings. Since 2014, Odorizzi has produced a 3.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 3.08 K/BB while eclipsing 30 starts in all but one of those seasons. (He took the mound 28 times in 2015.)
To go along with his youth, Odorizzi comes with three more years of team control, being eligible for free agency following the 2019 campaign. That makes him appealing to any club looking to bolster its pitching staff for both now and the next few seasons.
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But would it really be a smart move for the Rays to part with Odorizzi or another starter? The signings of Colby Rasmus, Wilson Ramos and Shawn Tolleson suggest that Tampa Bay doesn’t just want to spin its wheels next year, despite facing what is sure to be fierce competition from the other teams in the division. While an AL East title is an obvious long shot, they could perhaps become a factor in the Wild Card race if a lot of things break right.
Fortunately, the Rays probably have enough pitching depth to deal one of their other starters, especially if they can fill another need in the process. A recent report claims they are still on the lookout for more bullpen help, but aren’t too keen to pay the price to sign someone like Greg Holland. If they ship out Odorizzi, a guy like Erasmo Ramirez or Chase Whitley could fill in. They would also presumably lean a bit harder on swingman Matt Andriese and 24-year-old southpaw Blake Snell.
If the Rays are looking to trade a starting pitcher now, Odorizzi does indeed make the most sense. It seems like teams haven’t approached Tampa’s asking price on Archer, and Cobb still needs to reestablish his value after returning from Tommy John surgery. He’s a good candidate to go at some point during the upcoming season since he will be an impending free agent.
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All things considered, it’s easier to see the Rays holding off for now to see how their squad performs out of the gate, and then shop one or multiple starters mid-season in a market that shouldn’t lack suitors.