Despite losing nearly an entire rotation to Tommy John surgery last summer and floundering into mid-June, the Tampa Bay Rays have demonstrated in recent weeks — one again — that they are never out of it.
But, whether they’re out of it (they aren’t) or not (not is correct), one thing you can always bank on in Tampa Bay is that they’ll entertain trading players even if no other team in the league would. They won’t care which team they’re working with.
After all, they understand that in the long run, they are wiser than anybody they are paired against, even if it is the Yankees.
Nobody expected the Rays to trade their ace, Blake Snell, only because of escalating arbitration fees after winning the American League. They did, then went on to win 100 games despite obtaining almost nothing from the exchange (Luis Patino and Francisco Mejia). Nobody expected Tampa Bay to trade Austin Meadows, who led the offence with 27 home runs in 2021. They didn’t blink, and Meadows hasn’t homered since. Seriously.
Despite reaching.400 and improving slightly, the Rays and Dodgers were recently linked by Jeff Passan in a Randy Arozarena trade. The Yankees should try to forestall those debates by focusing on Yandy Diaz, an MVP contender in 2023 whose advanced analytics suggest he shouldn’t be slipping so far this season. He’s also set to turn 33 years old and is under contract until 2025, with a team option in 2026 that the Rays are unlikely to exercise.
Yankees and Rays should work on the dream Yandy Diaz trade.
What can the Yankees offer the Rays?
Shortstop Roderick Arias, almost likely. Everson Pereira, the Tommy John rehabber, could be involved. Young pitcher Henry Lalane, who many believe has a top-100 pedigree if he can only get healthy and show up? Sigh, almost definitely. Two more pitchers the Yankees aren’t prioritizing right now, but the Rays are convinced they can quickly develop into productive big-leaguers? Yup. It’s a three- or four-player package, but the Yankees should accept it if the Rays are willing, knowing it could come back to haunt them later.
Look. We recognize that this is daring. We recognize that talking to the Rays is a losing long-term strategy, even if you believe you’re winning. But Diaz is too amazing to pass up. Everything about his 2024 profile suggests he’s continue hammering the ball, and the surface stats are starting to match (.337 with an.859 OPS in June). He has a career.777 OPS versus right-handers and an exceptional.875 mark against lefties, who have been hammering the Yankees all season. Some may prefer Isaac Paredes, and it’s difficult to say no to any potential slugger in the corner infield spot. Paredes is 25, controllable for much longer, and makes a pittance. The Rays are wild. They’re not particularly wild.
Diaz, on the other hand, is aging out of his Trop outfit, and the Rays have undoubtedly researched the Yankees’ system closely enough to have a few special favourites with concealed potential worth. Let’s make a deal, and we’ll see you at the ALDS anyhow.
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