Top 5 Early Candidates to Be 2016 MLB Trade Deadline Bait

4. SP Matt Moore – Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays enter 2016 with a lot of optimism given how they finished last year, but if they’re not in the race by July, they could be looking to stock their farm system. One of their most valuable and tradable assets is starting pitcher Matt Moore.

The lefty was floated around in trade rumors this offseason as the team sought more young hitting, but Tampa Bay never pulled the trigger on a deal. After very good 2012 and 2013 seasons, Moore has been either injured or ineffective. At just 26 years old, he still has time to develop, though.

That creates a dilemma for the Rays – do they cut their losses and ship him off for prospects or trust that he will develop into the top-of-the-rotation starter it seemed like he could be? How close the team is in the race this summer could go a long way toward determining the answer to that question.