News Rays Team Notes

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Baseball season is quickly approaching, and this is where I'll share tidbits about my favorite team.

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Tigers, Rays Agreed To Trade On Monday

(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

The Major League Baseball offseason has been filled with excitement as many star players have changed teams either via trade or free agency.

With big names such as Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried and Kyle Tucker all joining new clubs, many teams will have a completely new look in 2025.

While the excitement surrounds all of the big trades and free agency signings, there are multiple transactions that don’t get as much attention.

A reported trade between the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays falls into this category.

“The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring right-hander Alex Faedo from the Detroit Tigers for minor league catcher Enderson Delgado and cash,” ESPN insider Jeff Passan wrote on X.

Trade news: The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring right-hander Alex Faedo from the Detroit Tigers for minor league catcher Enderson Delgado and cash, sources tell ESPN. Faedo was a solid contributor for Detroit last year but was DFA’d after the Tigers signed Tommy Kahnle.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 3, 2025

Faedo is a 29-year-old pitcher who played all three seasons of his MLB career with the Tigers.

In 2024, he appeared in 37 games and was 5-3 with a 3.61 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 57.1 innings pitched.

Passan mentioned that Faedo had a solid season with the Tigers in 2024 and could be a contributor to the Rays in 2025.

Delgado is a 20-year-old prospect who has yet to make his MLB debut.

In 2024 with two minor league teams, he played in 65 games and batted .259 with four home runs, 30 RBIs and a .782 OPS.

Many trades of this nature fall under the radar to most fans, but they can make a big impact as the season moves forward.

The post Tigers, Rays Agreed To Trade On Monday appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/tigers-rays-agreed-to-trade-on-monday/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Analyst Says 1 MLB Team Could Be Surprisingly Competitive This Season

(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays missed the postseason for the first time in six seasons after finishing with a record of 80-82 and coming in fourth in the American League East.

Although the Rays missed the postseason in 2024, the five straight appearances before that are impressive due to the level of teams in their division, including the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles.

This offseason, the Rays have made a couple of notable acquisitions, including Eloy Jimenez on a minor league deal, catcher Danny Jansen and utility player Ha-Seong Kim.

MLB analyst Robert Flores recently revealed what he expects from the Rays this season.

“The Rays, like I said, they’re gonna surprise us. I have stopped counting out that franchise and predicting doom and gloom for this franchise because inevitably they end up figuring it out and being very competitive,” Flores said, via MLB Network.

"The Rays, they could surprise us. Inevitably they end up figuring it out and being very competitive."@RoFlo and Harold break down Ha-Seong Kim's reported two-year deal with the Rays and how he will strengthen this Tampa Bay team. #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/LnnpR2knwz

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 30, 2025

The Rays play in arguably the best division in Major League Baseball yet they made five straight postseason appearances from 2019 to 2023, including a World Series appearance in 2020.

Kim is the newest addition, and he has the ability to play multiple positions on the infield, which could be useful for the Rays when he is able to return from shoulder surgery.

In 2024 with the San Diego Padres, Kim played in 121 games and batted .233 with 11 home runs, 47 RBIs, 22 stolen bases and a .700 OPS.

Flores said he believes the Rays will be competitive again in 2025, and it will be interesting to see how they fare against those strong divisional opponents.

The post Analyst Says 1 MLB Team Could Be Surprisingly Competitive This Season appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/analyst-says-1-mlb-team-could-be-surprisingly-competitive-this-season/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

City Provides Update On Repairs To Tropicana Field

(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays missed the postseason for the first time in six seasons as they finished with a record of 80-82 in 2024.

It was the Rays’ first losing season since 2017, when they also finished 80-82.

After a disappointing end to the season, the team took another hit as Hurricane Milton hit the St. Petersburg, Florida area and damaged their home ballpark Tropicana Field.

The roof of the stadium was ripped apart by the hurricane, and the Rays are going to play their 2025 home games at a nearby spring training ballpark.

Although the damage to the ballpark was devastating, the Rays recently received some good news on the repair of their stadium.

“The St. Pete City Council has voted 4-3 to spend $23M to start replacing the roof at Tropicana Field,” FOX Sports: MLB wrote on X.

The St. Pete City Council has voted 4-3 to spend $23M to start replacing the roof at Tropicana Field pic.twitter.com/0rhk0EptFX

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 21, 2024

Tropicana Field has been the home of the Rays since their inaugural season in 1998.

With the repairs expected to take some time, the Rays will play their 2025 home games at the New York Yankees’ spring training ballpark.

The Rays will look to win their first World Series title in franchise history after losing previous appearances in 2008 and 2020.

The hope is that Tropicana Field will be ready for the 2026 season.

The post City Provides Update On Repairs To Tropicana Field appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/city-provides-update-on-repairs-to-tropicana-field/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Yankees, Dodgers Reportedly In A Bidding War For Rays Player

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are consistently the two biggest spenders in MLB, and while many believed they were destined to collide in this year’s World Series, both teams have gone through prolonged slumps over the past few months and are in the market for upgrades at the trade deadline.

The two juggernauts are now reportedly butting heads as each is attempting to acquire one of the market’s most accomplished bats.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the Yankees and Dodgers are engaged in a “bidding war” over Tampa Bay Rays star third baseman Isaac Paredes.

There's a 'bidding war' for Isaac Paredes between Dodgers and Yankees, per @BNightengale pic.twitter.com/Thb44ghCKp

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) July 28, 2024

Both teams are in need of corner infield help and some added thump from the right side of the plate, and Paredes would fill both needs as he has 16 homers, 55 RBIs, and a .793 OPS this season.

The Dodgers have gone through the past few months without Max Muncy, who has been out since May 15th with an oblique injury, while the Yankees have been without Anthony Rizzo for most of the year, though DJ LeMahieu recently returned.

Rizzo and LeMahieu both look like they might be declining as Rizzo turns 35 in a few weeks and DJ recently turned 36.

Paredes is just 25 and is fresh off his first All-Star appearance while having three more years of team control after 2024, so his asking price can’t be cheap.

It’s hard to envision why the Rays would trade such a young and talented bat with years of team control while once again being in contention to make the playoffs, but after dealing Randy Arozarena, Zach Eflin, and Jason Adam, it’s clear the Rays are once again looking to tear things down.

The post Yankees, Dodgers Reportedly In A Bidding War For Rays Player appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/yankees-dodgers-reportedly-in-a-bidding-war-for-rays-player/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Padres, Tampa Bay Rays Announce Trade

This year’s MLB hot stove has gotten hot early as teams have been making trades well ahead of the July 30th trade deadline.

Another trade has been announced between the Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres as the Rays continue to sell some of their biggest assets despite being in the hunt for the AL Wild Card.

FanSided’s Robert Murray was the first to break the news that the Padres are acquiring reliever Jason Adam from the Rays, with other sources confirming that prospects Dylan Lesko, Homer Bush Jr., and J.D. Gonzalez will be heading to Tampa in the return package.

Source confirms: Padres acquiring Jason Adam from Rays. First: @ByRobertMurray

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 28, 2024

Adam bounced around the league before coming into his own with the Rays and he has been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball over the past three years with the team.

He has made 170 relief appearances in those three years and posted a combined 2.30 ERA in 164.2 innings during that span.

The 32-year-old currently sports a 2.49 ERA this season and will surely tighten up the back end of a bullpen that has struggled at times to bridge the gap to closer Robert Suarez.

Even more beneficial for the Padres is the fact that Adam has two more arbitration seasons and will be under team control for very little money through 2026.

Adam could step in immediately as Suarez’s setup man and he’ll form a formidable back end of the bullpen alongside Yuki Matsui and Jeremiah Estrada.

San Diego is currently on a 7-game winning streak and is beginning to put a little pressure on the Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the NL West.

The post Padres, Tampa Bay Rays Announce Trade appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/padres-tampa-bay-rays-announce-trade/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

MLB Team Gets Deal For New Stadium

(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

If Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg is not the worst venue in Major League Baseball, it occupies a spot near the bottom of the list.

For many years, fans and players complained about the substandard structure even as showcases sprang up in other cities across the MLB landscape.

And there’s always the unspoken threat of the city’s professional franchise uprooting and moving on to greener pastures.

But that possibility for the Tampa Bay Rays appears over after a historic decision by local political leaders.

Tampa Bay Times reporter Colleen Wright revealed that the St. Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 in favor of a new stadium and redevelopment project to keep the team on the Gulf Coast.

In a 5-3 vote, St. Petersburg has a deal. Chambers applaud as City Council approved 12 legally binding agreements with Pinellas County, the Tampa Bay Rays and development partner Hines for a new stadium and redevelopment, to be called the Historic Gas Plant District. pic.twitter.com/OWSdh257vp

— Colleen Wright (@Colleen_Wright) July 18, 2024

According to current plans, Tropicana Field will be replaced by a 30,000-seat domed stadium that would be accompanied by a massive rebuilding project to benefit the historic neighborhood.

The proposal calls for new apartments, stores, bars and other businesses, a Black history museum and more.

The plan is for St. Petersburg taxpayers to cough up $287.5 million, another $312.5 million would come from tourist taxes paid to Pinellas County, and the Rays would put up $600 million to counter cost overruns.

There is still one vote remaining, and that will come later this month from the Pinellas County Commission.

The Rays have long sought a new stadium in an effort that nearly coincided with their first season in 1998.

The latest council meeting featured speakers both for and against the new deal, but ultimately it was the city’s baseball fans who carried the day.

The post MLB Team Gets Deal For New Stadium appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/mlb-team-gets-deal-for-new-stadium/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

MLB Insider Reveals Rays Stars Potentially On The Trade Block

(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays have been one of the most disappointing teams of the season, with a 48-48 record and a -63 run differential.

We are talking about one of the best and most consistent organizations of the last decade, with numerous postseason berths and even a World Series appearance in 2020.

The Rays, however, are very smart and will be able to recognize if they are truly out of the race.

This appears to be the case: they are 10 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East lead and 5.5 games out of the last Wild Card spot.

With a half to play, it’s not an insurmountable deficit, but it’s really tough with so many teams ahead of them.

Perhaps they should sell some of their really valuable assets.

With that in mind, MLB insider Jon Morosi is reporting a couple of players that the team would be open to negotiating ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.

“The Rays will listen to offers on Randy Arozarena, Yandy Diaz, and Isaac Paredes, per @jonmorosi,” B/R Walk-Off tweeted.

The Rays will listen to offers on Randy Arozarena, Yandy Diaz and Isaac Paredes, per @jonmorosi pic.twitter.com/0qaoaD4nYG

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) July 18, 2024

Arozarena, Diaz, and Paredes are arguably the best offensive players on the Rays roster.

If they flip them all, they could enter a brief “retooling” process for one or two years, but they would probably add lots of interesting prospects to feed their already solid farm.

Arozarena is having a subpar season with a .671 OPS, but he is capable of taking over a playoff series.

Paredes has 15 home runs and 50 RBI, and Diaz is sporting a .726 OPS with 21 doubles.

Rumors also have second baseman Brandon Lowe as a potential trade piece.

Could we be witnessing a fire sale by Tampa Bay?

The post MLB Insider Reveals Rays Stars Potentially On The Trade Block appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/mlb-insider-reveals-rays-stars-potentially-on-the-trade-block/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Rays Pitcher Has All-Time Quote After Losing Game

(Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks entered Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels with a 4-3 lead, looking for a save.

When all was said and done, however, he left the inning having relinquished the lead: the game was now 5-4 in favor of the Angels as the teams headed to the bottom of the ninth.

It’s not common to watch Fairbanks struggle: he had a 2.58 ERA in 2023 and a 1.13 mark the year before.

This year, however, he is still trying to find the best version of himself.

His ERA after the outing, in which he allowed three hits and two earned runs in an inning of work, is now 9.00.

If you want to learn how badly Fairbanks struggled on Wednesday, hear it from the pitcher himself.

He was both harsh and hilarious, if that’s possible.

“Pete Fairbanks on his outing tonight: ‘I thought it generally sucked. I didn’t think it was a specific suck, I thought it was like an all-encompassing type of suck,'” Talkin’ Baseball tweeted, with a clip of the interview.

Pete Fairbanks on his outing tonight:

“I thought it generally sucked. I didn’t think it was a specific suck, I thought it was like an all-encompassing type of suck.”

(via @BallyRays) pic.twitter.com/25jti7Xheh

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 18, 2024

An all-encompassing type of suck: that’s definitely an all-time line.

It pretty much sums up what the game felt like for Fairbanks, who also walked two hitters in addition to the three hits conceded.

He also failed to strike out anyone, which is extremely uncommon for a hurler with 239 career strikeouts in just 166.2 frames.

Perhaps he isn’t 100 percent physically, or maybe he is just trying to get into a groove with arm or his mechanics.

In any case, you should expect him to correct the course if he is fully healthy.

He is too good not to.

The post Rays Pitcher Has All-Time Quote After Losing Game appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/rays-pitcher-has-all-time-quote-after-losing-game/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

MLB Insider Shares Update On Wander Franco

(Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays have been without shortstop Wander Franco, arguably their best player, since mid-August 2023.

The infielder was placed on administrative leave after allegations about his involvement in underage relationships surfaced.

Dominican Republic authorities started an investigation on the matter, which still hasn’t finished.

On Thursday, MLB insider Jeff Passan revealed that the league has extended his administrative leave until June 1.

“News: Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been placed on administrative leave through June 1 per an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA, a source tells ESPN. Franco’s status could change before then depending on proceedings in the criminal case in the Dominican Republic,” he tweeted.

News: Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been placed on administrative leave through June 1 per an agreement between MLB and the MLBPA, a source tells ESPN. Franco's status could change before then depending on proceedings in the criminal case in the Dominican Republic.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 28, 2024

In theory, he won’t be eligible to play until June 1, but that is subject to change and will entirely depend on what the Dominican authorities and then MLB and the Players’ Association determine.

Franco hasn’t been charged in his native country, but the accusations are disturbing.

Dominican authorities have required him to check in once per month with court officials until the end of June, unless his case comes to a resolution before then.

Franco was having an excellent season last year until he was placed on administrative leave.

He was hitting .281/.344/.475 with 17 home runs, 30 stolen bases, and a .819 OPS when the news came.

His absence has affected the Rays’ ceiling, and they have been forced to alter their plans to get replacements.

All of that, however, is now secondary: the well-being of the alleged victims and a fair resolution are now the most important things in this case.

The post MLB Insider Shares Update On Wander Franco appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/mlb-insider-shares-update-on-wander-franco/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Rays Decide To Take A Chance On Veteran Pitcher

(Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays are always looking in the bargain bin in free agency.

We rarely see them spend big on any player as they consistently have one of the lowest payrolls in baseball.

Even with that, the Rays have been one of the best teams in baseball over the past six seasons.

Not including the shortened 2020 season, the Rays have won at least 86 games in each of the past six seasons.

They have done so with the aforementioned low payroll and no superstar players.

According to Joel Sherman, pitcher Jake Odorizzi is the most recent signing of the Rays.

He has agreed to a minor-league deal but with incentives if he makes the major-league roster.

Jake Odorizzi has a minor league deal with the Rays. He will be paid $1.5M in the majors with $500,000 bonuses for reaching innings at 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 15, 2024

We have seen the Rays make these smaller signings in the past and have them pay major dividends.

The Rays do a great job of getting the best out of each of their players.

They have been resurrecting players’ careers for many years.

Most recently, we saw what they were able to do with Zach Eflin last year.

He was an average pitcher for the first seven years of his career.

But, he took a massive leap forward in his first year with the Rays.

Eflin won 16 games last year and had a career-low 3.50 ERA.

The Rays must be hoping to do something similar with Odorizzi this year.

Playing in the AL East will not be an easy task.

That division is loaded and the Rays will have their work cut out for them.

But, if they can continue to get the best out of their players the Rays have a chance to compete in the AL.

The post Rays Decide To Take A Chance On Veteran Pitcher appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/rays-decide-to-take-a-chance-on-veteran-pitcher/

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Rays Getting Jose Caballero, Richie Palacios Work In Center Field

Defensive versatility is a hallmark of the Rays organization, and they’re expanding the role for utilitymen Jose Caballero and Richie Palacios this spring, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Caballero, who played plus defense at shortstop, second base and third base in 2024, is getting reps across all three outfield spots in camp. He played two innings in left field last season. Palacios already played five positions last year and is also getting reps in center. Topkin calls him the leading candidate to back up presumptive starter Jonny DeLuca.

Caballero, 28, came to the Rays in a Jan. 2024 trade sending Luke Raley to the Mariners. He doesn’t provide much offense, hitting just .225/.308/.338 in 243 MLB games and 763 plate appearances, but he’s been a plus defender around the infield and piled up 70 steals in 89 tries through a season and a half’s worth of games. Caballero logged the lion’s share of playing time at shortstop last year, but with Ha-Seong Kim now in the fold and Taylor Walls healthy, he’ll move into more of a jack-of-all-trades utility role.

The 27-year-old Palacios was acquired from the Cardinals — in exchange for Andrew Kittredge — on the same day the Rays picked up Caballero. He split the bulk of his time between second base and the outfield corners in his first season with Tampa Bay and drew solid or better defensive grades across those positions. Like Caballero, he didn’t hit for much average or power. Also like Caballero, he adds value to his offensive game with another skill, though not his speed; Palacios walked in a massive 14.2% of his plate appearances last season. He chased only 22.3% of pitches off the plate, per Statcast, ranking in the 87th percentile of hitters (min. 300 plate appearances).

That both players are getting looks in center field is of extra note given the lack of an established player at the position. DeLuca is in line to see the bulk of playing time there, but the 26-year-old hit just .217/.278/.331 in 362 plate appearances last year. DeLuca spent more time in right field than in left, and fielded the corner spot quite well (6 Defensive Runs Saved, 5 Outs Above Average). His work in center was graded closer to average (-1 DRS, 2 OAA).

If DeLuca doesn’t provide more offensively and/or prove to be a standout defender in center, it’s feasible that either Caballero or Palacios could get more looks there. Tampa Bay also has outfielders Kameron Misner and Jake Mangum on the 40-man roster, each of whom has experience in center. More broadly, whoever ends up seeing the bulk of the early time in center could prove a placeholder for fleet-footed prospect Chandler Simpson.

Simpson is still relatively new to center field — the 24-year-old was a middle infielder in college ball — but he hit .355/.410/.397 between High-A and Double-A last season and is an 80-grade runner who’ll be one of MLB’s fastest players if and when he debuts. Simpson only hit one home run in 2024 but swiped a staggering 104 bases in only 110 games played — all while fanning in only 8.5% of his plate appearances.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...nter-field-jonny-deluca-chandler-simpson.html

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Rays Sign Jamie Westbrook To Minor League Deal

The Rays announced Monday morning that they’ve signed infielder/outfielder Jamie Westbrook to a minor league contract. The ALIGND Sports client will head to big league camp and provide Tampa Bay with some additional depth at multiple positions. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first reported the agreement.

Westbrook, 29, made his big league debut with the Red Sox in 2024. Originally a fifth-round pick by the 2013 D-backs, he’s begun to bounce around in journeyman fashion. The Sox were the fifth organization of his career and also Westbrook’s fifth in a span of six seasons. The Rays will make six organizations in seven years.

Though he struggled in a limited sample of 48 big league plate appearances, hitting .150/.234/.350, Westbrook posted a much sharper .277/.369/.450 output with Boston’s Triple-A affiliate in Worcester — about 15% better than league average offensive output. Westbrook has also had big Triple-A seasons with the Yankees, Brewers and D-backs over the years. He’s played in parts of six Triple-A campaigns and slashed a combined .281/.375/.458 with just a 15.8% strikeout rate against a terrific 11.3% walk rate.

Westbrook has primarily been a second baseman in the minors, logging a massive 5372 innings there. However, he’s also tallied an even 2500 innings in the outfield corners (about 90% of that time in left field) in addition to just shy of 900 innings at third base. He’s a right-handed bat who’s typically thrashed left-handed pitching and at least held his own in right-on-right matchups at the top minor league level.

The Rays have plenty of position depth at the spots Westbrook has played most frequently. Brandon Lowe is back as the primary second baseman, while ballyhooed youngster Junior Caminero will get everyday reps at third. Christopher Morel and Josh Lowe appear to be in line for frequent corner outfield work. Utility players Jose Caballero and Richie Palacios offer cover at multiple positions, and former top prospect Curtis Mead has seen plenty of time at both second and third base. Outfielders Kameron Misner and Jake Mangum are both on the 40-man roster and can both play all three outfield spots.

Westbrook will presumably see frequent time at second base and in the outfield in Triple-A, but he could be in the mix for a bench spot with a big enough spring showing and/or some spring injuries thinning out the depth on the major league side of things.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/rays-sign-jamie-westbrook-second-base-outfield.html

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Rays Sign Kodi Whitley To Minor League Deal

The Rays have signed right-hander Kodi Whitley to a minor league deal, as noted in the transactions tracker on Whitley’s MLB.com profile page.

Whitley, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Friday, was a 27th-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2017 who made his MLB debut in St. Louis during the shortened 2020 season. His first two seasons in the majors went quite well despite limited playing time at the big league level, as he pitched to a 2.40 ERA in 30 innings of work. He struck out 27.1% of opponents while walking 11%, resulting in a 3.21 FIP, though more advanced metrics such as xFIP (4.13) and SIERA (3.88) painted him as more of a league average arm.

Unfortunately for Whitley, things came off the rails a bit for him during the 2022 campaign. He logged just 12 2/3 innings of work at the big league level for St. Louis that year, and the results left much to be desired. Whitley surrendered a 5.68 ERA as his strikeout rate dipped to just 20.3%. Even more concerning was his walk rate, which was already somewhat elevated even when the right-hander was successful but in 2022 ballooned to an untenable 15.3% rate. While Whitley posted a decent 3.86 ERA with Triple-A Memphis that year, his 21.8% strikeout rate and 10.9% walk rate still left something to be desired relatively to his past performance in the majors.

Given Whitley’s struggles, it was hardly a shock when the club outrighted him off their 40-man roster following the 2022 season. He stuck with the Cardinals at Triple-A to open the 2023 campaign but put up lackluster results even in the minor leagues with a 5.19 ERA in 32 appearances. That led St. Louis to release Whitley midway through the season, and though he was picked up in July by the Braves things got even worse for him at Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett as he surrendered a 6.43 ERA in 14 frames with the club.

That difficult stint with the Braves stands as Whitley’s most recent pro experience. He stuck with the Braves throughout the 2023-24 offseason but was released last March and did not sign with an organization afterwards. That’s now changed, however, and he’ll look to get his career back on track with one of the top pitching development organizations in baseball this year. The Rays are known for churning through bullpen arms nearly constantly, so if Whitley manages to recapture the success he had earlier in his career there’s little doubt that Tampa would find a spot for him in their big league bullpen at some point this year. That could take time, however, given Whitley’s apparent yearlong layoff from game action.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/rays-sign-kodi-whitley-to-minor-league-deal.html

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Rays Owner Stu Sternberg Facing Pressure To Sell From Fellow Owners, Commissioner’s Office

Rays owner Stu Sternberg is facing pressure to sell the club from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and “several” fellow owners, according to a report from Evan Drellich of The Athletic. On Thursday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that while no deal was close, a group of businesspeople local to the Tampa Bay area have started to put together ownership groups with their sights set on purchasing the team. Drellich’s report expands on that report, confirming that no sale is close but that “several groups” with ties to Florida have expressed interest in purchasing the club.

Drellich reports that those involved in one group include the family of San Francisco 49ners owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. and former Yankees minority owner Joe Molloy, with Tampa-area business man Dan Doyle Jr. involved in another group. Molloy subsequently confirmed to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he’s leading a group with interest in purchasing the Rays, adding that his group would have interest in pursuing the stadium deal the Rays currently have in place with Pinellas County and the city of St. Petersburg. Notably, Molloy led the Yankees while George Steinbrenner was suspended during the 1990s, while Doyle previously expressed interest in purchasing the Rays back in 2023.

That deal, of course, has been publicly thrown into doubt by clashes between the Rays and the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners. The county delayed a vote in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton that the Rays claim held up the construction process and increased costs, and the club argues that it should not cover those costs on its own despite the deal stating that the Rays will handle any cost overruns. That deal is just weeks away from a key deadline on March 31, just after Opening Day, that requires Sternberg to meet certain obligations if the stadium deal is to proceed.

Given the hostile relationship between Sternberg and local officials, Drellich suggests that it could be difficult to revive the deal if Sternberg allows that March 31 deadline to pass without acting. It’s possible the deal could be revived in some form under new ownership, however, and that appears to be the impetus behind Manfred’s push for Sternberg to either work out the stadium issue or sell the club. Drellich emphasizes the MLB believes strongly in Florida as a viable market despite the lackluster financial showings of the Rays and Marlins since the franchises came into being during the 1990s, and the league seems unlikely to approve relocation out of Florida for Sternberg—or a hypothetical future Rays owner. If the stadium deal in St. Pete falls through, Drellich reports that MLB believes the Ybor City neighborhood in Tampa or perhaps even Orlando could be viable alternatives for the Rays.

As the commissioner’s office looks to pressure Sternberg, Drellich writes that the league could look to take away at least some of the Rays’ revenue sharing dollars, which he notes add up to around $60MM annually. That would be a major blow to the club’s finances, but it’s one that could not be exercised unilaterally by Manfred. Instead, alterations to revenue sharing would need to be collectively bargained during the next CBA negotiations. The current agreement runs through 2026, and when it expires Drellich suggests that Manfred and the league could seek a carve out in the CBA that applies specifically to the Rays that would cut the club off from its revenue sharing dollars if they failed to get a stadium deal done before a certain date. As Drellich points out, the league utilized a similar tactic to pressure A’s owner John Fisher into getting a binding stadium agreement into place by January 15, 2024.

Of course, any pressure tactic that needs to be collectively bargained wouldn’t necessarily have much of an immediate effect given that the end of the current CBA is nearly two years away. With that being said, Drellich does not that Manfred has some ways to financially pressure the Rays and Sternberg at his disposal in the more immediate future: the commissioner’s discretionary fund and supplemental discretionary fund. The distribution of those funds is not publicized, but Drellich notes that the Rays have been a beneficiary and that the payments from those funds are typically in the neighborhood of “several” million dollars, though not quite reaching tens of millions.

It’s unclear to what extent any losses in funding from the league, be they from the commissioner’s discretionary fund or eventual revenue sharing losses at some point in the future, would impact the Rays from a baseball perspective. The club already runs one of the league’s lowest payrolls with their $90MM projected payroll for 2025 ranking in the bottom five in the league per RosterResource. That’s exactly in line with last year’s payroll numbers, but slightly higher than where the club has lived in the past. It wouldn’t be a shock, then, if the losses in funding were passed on in at least some capacity to the baseball operations department.

Infielder Ha-Seong Kim’s $16MM player option is the only guaranteed contract on the Rays’ books beyond this season beyond the Wander Franco contract that is currently going unpaid, but the club does have a number of pricey club options on veterans like Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, and Pete Fairbanks next season. If the club’s baseball operations budget tightens in response to financial pressure from the league, it’s possible the front office could look to move some of those players in the offseason or even at the trade deadline this year depending on the club’s position in the standings.

As Drellich notes, there’s little incentive for Sternberg to lower his asking price for the Rays in order to facilitate a sale. The Rays were estimated to be worth $1.25 billion according to franchise valuations by Forbes last year, and that value figures to have only gone up since then. Even if Manfred and the commissioner’s office begin putting financial pressure on Sternberg to sell, those financial losses would surely pale in comparison to the potential loss in value that would come with selling low on a franchise estimated to be worth more than a billion dollars.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...-from-fellow-owners-commissioners-office.html

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Tigers Trade Mason Englert To Rays

The Rays announced Wednesday that they’ve acquired righty Mason Englert from the Tigers in exchange for minor league lefty Drew Sommers. Tampa Bay opened a 40-man roster spot by transferring southpaw Nate Lavender to the 60-day IL. Englert was designated for assignment in Detroit last week.

Englert, 25, was with the Tigers for the past two years. A Rule 5 pick from the Rangers, he stuck on the roster through the 2023 season. Once the Tigers had full control over his rights for 2024, he was shuttled between Triple-A and the majors. Over those two campaigns, he tossed 77 2/3 innings for Detroit, allowing 5.45 earned runs per nine. His 16.5% strikeout rate was subpar but he limited walks to a 6.4% clip.

Those numbers aren’t mind-blowing, but Englert was better in the minors last year. He tossed 49 2/3 innings on the farm over 32 appearances with a 3.08 ERA, 33% strikeout rate and 8.9% walk rate. Prior to his Rule 5 selection, he tossed 199 1/3 minor league innings over 2021 and 2022 with a 3.93 ERA, 27.7% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate.

Englert is still fairly young and has a couple of options years remaining. The major league results haven’t been there yet but the minor league numbers seem to be intriguing enough that the Rays have brought him aboard. As a club that rotates pitchers through the roster fairly frequently, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Englert moves between Triple-A and the majors throughout the coming season.

Lavender, 25, was just taken in the most recent Rule 5 draft. He had Tommy John surgery in May and likely won’t be able to return until the second half. Today’s transfer officially rules him out of the first two months of the campaign.

Though the Tigers had to bump Englert off the roster, they are at least getting something in return. Sommers, 24, was an 11th-round selection of the Rays in 2022. In 2023, he tossed 43 Single-A innings with a 2.72 ERA, 34.7% strikeout rate, 5.3% walk rate and 53.3% ground ball rate. Last year, he got bumped up to High-A and tossed 54 innings with an ERA of 4.00, 27.9% strikeout rate, 8.6% walk rate and massive 67.8% ground ball rate. He’s not considered a top prospect but will give the Tigers an intriguing lefty relief option to plug into their system.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/tigers-trade-mason-englert-rays.html

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Poll: Who’s Winning The Offseason In The AL East?

The calendar has flipped to February and the start of spring is just a matter of days away. While some notable free agents (including seven of MLBTR’s Top 50) remain unsigned, most clubs have already done the heavy lifting in terms of preparing their roster for the 2025 season. For the past week, we’ve been taking a look around the league at which clubs have had the strongest offseason to this point. The Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, and Tigers have decisively won the polls covering the National League’s three divisions and the AL Central, but things were much closer in the AL West where the Athletics narrowly beat out the Rangers. Today, we’ll turn our attention to the league’s final division: the AL East.

While the Yankees managed to make it all the way to the World Series before losing to Los Angeles in five games, 2024 was a less than stellar year for the rest of the division. The Blue Jays and Rays sold off pieces at the deadline after underperforming badly in the first half, while the Red Sox struggled down the stretch and ultimately missed the playoffs despite adding at the deadline. The Orioles, meanwhile, managed to make the postseason for the second year in a row but have still yet to win a playoff game between those two appearances after getting bounced by Detroit in two games during the AL Wild Card series. All five teams in this division are ostensibly attempting to compete again in 2025, however, and there’s been noteworthy moves all throughout the division this offseason.

Which team has done the most to set themselves up for success this winter? Teams are listed in order of their 2024 record.

New York Yankees

A discussion of what the reigning AL champions have added this winter can’t begin without addressing what they’ve lost. Juan Soto signed a record-shattering contract to move across town to the Mets, and in doing so removed a vital piece from the heart of New York’s lineup. Down one perennial MVP candidate, the Yankees focused this winter on fixing up their roster around the one that still remains in Aaron Judge. The club kicked off the offseason by calling the bluff of veteran ace Gerrit Cole when he opted out of his deal with the club only to agree to return on his current deal rather than test free agency when the Yankees declined to tack on an extra year and $36MM to his contract to force him to stay. They then paired another veteran ace with Cole at the top of the rotation by signing southpaw Max Fried away from Atlanta, which freed them up to trade Nestor Cortes to the Brewers as part of a package that landed them star closer Devin Williams. Trading for Fernando Cruz and reuniting with both Tim Hill and Jonathan Loaisiga in free agency further bolstered the club’s strong bullpen mix.

While the club’s pitching moves have been quite impressive, the same can’t necessarily be said for the lineup. The club swapped Cody Poteet to the Cubs to acquire Cody Bellinger in what amounted to a salary-dump move for Chicago, and the addition of Bellinger allowed the club to move Judge back to his natural position of right field. With that being said, however, their only other move of note on offense has been to sign Paul Goldschmidt coming off a career-worst season. Those additions are likely upgrades over Alex Verdugo and Anthony Rizzo, but losses of Soto and Gleyber Torres on offense have not been addressed. The Yankees have tried to trade Marcus Stroman to free up funds for further lineup additions, but that goal has not yet borne fruit.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles haven’t made the splashy addition many expected this winter after a difficult season that saw them get swept out of the playoffs for the second year in a row. Right-hander Corbin Burnes departed for Arizona and was replaced by veteran arms Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano rather than a true ace. Aside from those rotation additions, the club has also added Andrew Kittredge to its bullpen mix as a set-up man for returning closer Felix Bautista. Most of the focus has been on the lineup this winter, however, as they’ve added Tyler O’Neill to replace Anthony Santander, Gary Sanchez to replace James McCann, and then further bolstered the club’s outfield depth with deals for Ramon Laureano and Dylan Carlson. That leaves the club set to enter 2025 with a position player mix that might be even deeper than last year’s, but a pitching staff that carries even more question marks.

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox set out to improve their rotation this winter and accomplished just that. They swung a trade for White Sox southpaw Garrett Crochet at the Winter Meetings, shipping out top prospects Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery in a four-player package that brought back a lefty ace with two years of control remaining before free agency. They followed that addition up by replacing outgoing veteran right-hander Nick Pivetta with a high-upside roll of the dice on Walker Buehler, who struggled in 2024 coming off a return from Tommy John surgery but was among the best pitchers in the sport before going under the knife.

Outside of those moves, however, the Red Sox have been surprisingly quiet. They were involved in the sweepstakes for top free agents like Juan Soto and Max Fried but ultimately did not sign any of those impact players, or even players in the next tier down like Nathan Eovaldi and Teoscar Hernandez. The additions of Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson should help to improve the bullpen, but the team’s long-acknowledged need for a right-handed bat who can help balance their lineup has gone unaddressed. That could change as they appear to be involved in the markets for both Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado, but for now the offense has gone largely unaddressed.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays’ offseason moves have largely been overshadowed by the situation regarding Tropicana Field, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Milton and will not be usable for the 2025 season. That’s forced the Rays to temporarily relocate to Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, but the new location hasn’t stopped the club from being fairly active this winter. The club was long expected to deal from their starting pitching surplus this winter, and did so when they shipped Jeffrey Springs to the A’s alongside Jacob Lopez in a return highlighted by flamethrowing right-hander Joe Boyle. The club also traded Jose Siri to the Mets shortly before the non-tender deadline, leaving them with plenty of question marks in the outfield, but did manage to address other key areas of the roster in free agency.

After entering the winter with catcher as their biggest question mark, the club added the winter’s top free agent at the position in Danny Jansen. More recently, the Rays addressed their lackluster mix of players at shortstop by bringing Ha-Seong Kim into the fold on a sh0rt-term deal. The club’s lack of solid outfield options, which will likely force infielders like Christopher Morel, Richie Palacios and Jose Caballero onto the grass in 2025, leave a major question mark on the club’s roster, but the additions of Jansen and Kim along with the impending return for ace Shane McClanahan from injury leave the club into a relatively good place headed into 2025.

Toronto Blue Jays

Long considered to be the bridesmaid but never the bride when it comes to landing top talent in free agency, the Jays once again came up short in their pursuit of top free agents like Soto, Burnes, and Roki Sasaki. That didn’t stop them from upgrading the roster this winter, however, as they’ve been one of the more active teams around the league. Jeff Hoffman, Josh Walker, Nick Sandlin and Yimi Garcia were both brought in to shore up the club’s lackluster bullpen mix after the club non-tendered closer Jordan Romano, while future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will be tasked with replacing Yusei Kikuchi in the club’s rotation as he enter his age-40 campaign.

In addition to those pitching moves, the Jays made two major additions to their lineup: they traded Spencer Horwitz to land Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez alongside Sandlin during the Winter Meetings, providing them with a quality defensive option at the keystone and a viable long-term alternative to Bo Bichette at shortstop. That move was followed up by signing slugger Anthony Santander to a five-year deal, with Santander set to offer power in the lineup as well as some protection for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in his final season before free agency. Guerrero’s future has been a key topic of Toronto’s offseason to this point, and while the sides have discussed an extension there’s been no signs of a conclusion in sight even with Guerrero’s self-imposed deadline just a week away.

__________________________________________________________

The AL East stands out among the other divisions around the league in part because all five teams have at least a couple of notable additions to their roster in a winter where a surprising number of clubs mostly stood pat. With that being said, however, most of those additions either left a hole in the roster unaddressed or fell short of what outside observers felt was needed to push the team to contention in 2025. All five teams made worthwhile moves this winter, but will it be enough for the Yankees to overcome the losses of Soto and Torres, or the Orioles to overcome the loss of Burnes? Will the Red Sox be able to to get by without adding to the lineup, and will the Rays be able to compete with questions all over the outfield? Are the Blue Jays’ aggressive additions enough to put them back into the playoffs for Guerrero’s walk year? With all five teams trying to win in 2025 despite holes and question marks, the AL East figures to be perhaps the most interesting of the league’s divisions this year, top-to-bottom.

Of the five AL East clubs, which one has had the strongest offseason so far? Have your say in the poll below:

Take Our Poll

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/poll-whos-winning-the-offseason-in-the-al-east.html

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Could The Rays Still Move A Starting Pitcher?

The Rays entered the offseason with at least seven rotation-caliber arms on the roster. Each of Shane McClanahan, Taj Bradley, Drew Rasmussen, Zack Littell, Shane Baz, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Pepiot has had success in a big league rotation, though injuries have hobbled several of that group in recent years. Tampa Bay already thinned out that stock of arms (and, naturally, trimmed payroll) by shipping Springs and lefty Jacob Lopez to the A’s in a deal netting them righty Joe Boyle, minor leaguers Will Simpson and Jacob Watters, and a Competitive Balance (Round A) draft pick in 2025.

The Rays now have “only” six starters with proven (to varying levels) track records in the majors. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes that they’re still planning on a five-man rotation, however, adding that trading a starter in the late stages of spring training is “not out of the question.” At best, that very lightly leaves the door for a trade propped open. There’s nothing to strongly suggest the Rays are planning to deal from the rotation. Still, it’s nonetheless worth examining the team’s options if it comes to that point.

The veteran Littell would be the most obvious candidate to change hands. Tampa Bay moved the now-29-year-old righty from the bullpen to the rotation midway through the 2023 season, and the results have been better than anyone could’ve reasonably predicted. Littell solidified the staff in the second half of ’23 and pitched a career-high 156 1/3 innings with a 3.63 ERA over 29 starts last season. Since moving to a starting role after the Rays claimed him from the Red Sox, Littell has started 40 games and logged a combined 3.65 ERA with a lower-than-average 20.4% strikeout rate but a sensational 4.1% walk rate.

Each of the Rays’ other starting pitchers is signed or controlled via arbitration through at least the 2027 season. Littell is a free agent following the 2025 campaign. He’s being paid a reasonable $5.72MM. He’s not an ace by any stretch of the imagination, but based on how he’s fared since July 2023, the right-hander could step into the third, fourth or fifth spot in most big league rotations.

Trading anyone from the rest of the group is tougher to envision. McClanahan has pitched at a Cy Young level when healthy but missed all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He’s controlled through 2027. Moving him right now would mean moving their most talented starter at a time when they’d be selling low. Rasmussen signed a two-year deal with a club option earlier this offseason. That bought out his remaining arbitration seasons and gave Tampa Bay control over his first free-agent year by way of that 2027 club option. Flipping him so soon after signing him to that deal is extremely difficult to envision; MLB teams simply don’t sign a player to extension and then trade him prior to ever appearing in their jersey under the terms of that new contract.

Baz and Pepiot are under club control through 2028. The former is earning $1.45MM in 2025, while the latter has yet to reach arbitration. (Baz did so as a Super Two player.) Bradley can’t become a free agent until the 2029-30 offseason. We’re talking about the Rays, so the “never say never” caveat always applies to some extent, but acquiring four or five seasons of anyone from that bucket would very likely come at a steep price and require a team to part with MLB-ready bats that are both high-upside and controllable for a similar or even lengthier window.

Any team even contemplating a trade from the rotation at this stage of the calendar will be wary, of course. As we’ve seen throughout the league — most prominently up in the Bronx — perceived starting pitching “surpluses” can turn into deficits quickly this time of year. The Rays won’t move someone just to trim payroll, but they have depth even beyond the six arms mentioned here.

The previously mentioned Boyle, for instance, is having a nice spring and has experience in a big league rotation already. Following his acquisition in the Springs trade, president of baseball operations Erik Neander called the 6’7″ righty someone who has “the physicality and the stuff to fit at the front of the rotation.” Boyle averages nearly 98 mph on his heater but has severe command issues that need to be ironed out. Righty Jacob Waguespack might be Triple-A bound but has 105 2/3 big league innings under his belt. Prospects Joe Rock and Ian Seymour both had some success in Triple-A last year (the latter in particular). There’s no such thing as “too much” rotation depth, but that group could further embolden the Rays to listen on Littell or another big league starter if a team makes a compelling offer.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/rays-trade-rumors-starting-pitchers-zack-littell.html

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

Rays Agree To Minor League Deals With Connor Seabold, Tres Barrera

The Rays agreed to minor league deals with right-hander Connor Seabold and catcher Tres Barrera, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Both players will be invited to spring training.

Seabold, 29, has pitched parts of three seasons in the big leagues. The Beverly Hills Sports Council client spent the 2024 season with the Korea Baseball Organization’s Samsung Lions and pitched quite well, tossing 160 innings with a 3.43 ERA, 23.8% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate. That marked his first and to date only season overseas, and it’s not a surprise that a strong showing of that nature earned him a look back in North American ball — albeit on a non-guaranteed deal.

A third-round pick of the Phillies back in 2017, Seabold was flipped to the Red Sox alongside Nick Pivetta in the lopsided deal sending Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman back to Philly. Seabold briefly ranked as one of the more promising arms in Boston’s system but has yet to find his big league footing. Elbow and forearm injuries impacted his 2021-22 seasons, and Seabold was hit hard in a larger sample with the 2023 Rockies. In 108 2/3 innings, Seabold has been tagged for 98 runs — a grisly 8.12 ERA. He has a 4.13 mark in 172 Triple-A innings, however, and his KBO work was impressive. The Rays have a knack for getting the most out of reclamation arms of this ilk, too.

The Rays have a full rotation, with Shane McClanahan, Taj Bradley, Drew Rasmussen, Zack Littell, Shane Baz and Ryan Pepiot all in the mix for starts. The bullpen is more fluid, perhaps creating space for Seabold to work as a swingman or multi-inning reliever. Given his success in the KBO, it’d make sense for the Rays to keep him stretched out — if not in the big league ’pen then as a depth option in Triple-A Durham.

The 30-year-old Barrera has appeared in four big league seasons — three with the Nationals and one very brief look with the 2023 Cardinals. The ACES client is a .228/.313/.310 hitter in 164 MLB plate appearances. He spent the 2024 season with los Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican League, hitting .258/.333/.421 in 50 games. Barrera is a .222/.315/.351 hitter in Triple-A. He’s known more for his solid receiving, framing and blocking skills than for his bat.

Tampa Bay signed Danny Jansen to serve as its top catcher in 2025. He’ll pair with defensive standout Ben Rortvedt as the team’s primary pairing behind the dish. The only other catcher on the 40-man roster at the moment is Logan Driscoll. Barrera will add some experienced depth who can step up in the event of an injury or head to Durham to serve as in-season depth.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...e-deals-with-connor-seabold-tres-barrera.html

 

[Tampa Bay Rays]

MLBTR Podcast: Lawrence Butler’s Extension, Gerrit Cole’s TJ, And Rays’ Ownership Pressured To Sell

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

• The Athletics signing Lawrence Butler to an extension (1:55)
• The Yankees losing Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery (10:00)
• The Mets losing Francisco Alvarez to hamate surgery (19:20)
• The Rays’ stadium and ownership drama (24:00)

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

• Will the Cubs win the NL Central and how would you rank the AL Central clubs? (34:25)
• Will the spring injuries lead to some deals and keep the hot stove burning into April? (41:35)
• Should fans of the Dodgers be worried by how many old/injury-prone players are on the roster? (47:50)

Check out our past episodes!

• Jose Quintana, Luis Gil’s Injury, The Nats’ TV Situation, Salary Floor Talk, And More! – listen here
• Atlanta’s Pitching Depth, Iglesias, Jobe, Castillo, And More! – listen here
• Alex Bregman, The Padres Add Players, And No Extension For Vlad Jr. – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...-tj-and-rays-ownership-pressured-to-sell.html