Tampa Bay Rays Reportedly Listening to Trade Offers on Trio of All-Stars
![Jul 11, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes (17) congratulates outfielder Randy Arozarena (56) after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Yankees in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Jul 11, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes (17) congratulates outfielder Randy Arozarena (56) after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Yankees in the first inning at Tropicana Field.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4492,h_2526,x_0,y_87/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/fastball/01j33avhcx79ev1hwy5f.jpg)
With the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline just two weeks away, the Tampa Bay Rays apparently won't hesitate to pick up the phone when it rings.
According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Rays will be listening to calls on outfielder Randy Arozarena, first baseman Yandy Díaz and third baseman Isaac Paredes "in the right deal." The Seattle Mariners are a team to keep an eye on, based on their positions of need and their status as a frequent trade partner, although Morosi said that the two sides have yet to engage in any serious discussions regarding those three players.
Talks could advance in the coming days, though, per Morosi.
On a broader scale, there are many teams who could be interested in the trio of All-Stars if they are indeed available.
Sources: The Mariners and Rays have yet to engage in serious dialogue about Seattle’s interest in adding an impact bat, but the teams are frequent trading partners and talks could advance in the days ahead.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 18, 2024
Tampa Bay will listen on Arozarena, Diaz, or Paredes in the right deal.…
Paredes is having the best season of the bunch, having just taken part in the All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas, this week. He is batting .261 with 15 home runs, 50 RBI, an .823 OPS and a 2.5 WAR through 91 games this season.
The 25-year-old infielder is making $3.4 million this season, and he remains under team control through 2027. Last year, Paredes hit .250 with 31 home runs, 98 RBI, an .840 OPS and a 4.2 WAR, finishing 16th in AL MVP voting.
Arozarena, meanwhile, is in the midst of his worst big league campaign yet. He is batting just .202 with 12 home runs, 31 RBI, 14 stolen bases, a .671 OPS and a 0.4 WAR coming out of the All-Star break. The 2021 AL Rookie of the Year was named an All-Star in 2023, on top of being the ALCS MVP back in 2020.
Between 2020 and 2023, Arozarena was a .264 hitter with an .801 OPS. He averaged 24 home runs, 87 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a 3.8 WAR per 162 games in that span.
Arozarena is due to hit arbitration in 2025 and 2026 before entering free agency in 2027. The 29-year-old is on the books for $8.1 million in 2024.
Díaz, like Arozarena, was an All-Star in 2023. While his drop off this season hasn't been quite as steep, the reigning AL batting champion is still only hitting .273 with eight home runs, 46 RBI, a .726 OPS and a 1.0 WAR.
Last year, Díaz hit .330 with 22 home runs, 78 RBI, a .932 OPS and a 5.2 WAR, earning a Silver Slugger and placing sixth in AL MVP voting as a result. He is set to make $10 million in 2025, and he has a $12 million club option on his contract for 2026.
The Rays are running in fourth place in the AL East at 48-48 with 66 games left on the regular season slate. They are currently 5.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, despite entering 2024 with their highest Opening Day payroll in franchise history.
The trade deadline is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on July 30.
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