Tampa Bay Rays Starting Pitcher Zack Littell Labeled as Potential Trade Candidate

Zack Littell was the Tampa Bay Rays' most valuable pitcher in 2024, but the veteran could be shipped out of town with Shane McClanahan and others set to return from injury in 2025.

Sep 8, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Zack Littell (52) looks on during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays are set to have plenty of options to utilize in their starting rotation in 2025, meaning they could look to sell off an arm or two this winter.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand recently published a list of potential trade candidates for each team this offseason, and he landed on starting pitcher Zack Littell as his pick for the Rays.

Tampa Bay has Shane McClanahan returning as their ace after missing all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Jeffrey Springs, Shane Baz and Drew Rasmussen, meanwhile, all came back from their own elbow surgeries in 2024. Ryan Pepiot, who came over in last winter's Tyler Glasnow trade, showed plenty of promise this past season, as did 23-year-old Taj Bradley.

So even though Littell led all Rays players with a 2.8 WAR in 2024, he can certainly be qualified as expendable.

The 29-year-old right-hander went 8-10 with a 3.63 ERA, 1.247 WHIP and 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 29 starts this season. He went 3-6 with a 3.93 ERA, 1.149 WHIP, 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.0 WAR after joining the Rays via waivers in 2023.

During his time with the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox, Littell was primarily a reliever, so he could come out of the Rays' bullpen if need be. But Tampa Bay may want to sell high on Littell while he is still fresh off proving his abilities as a starter.

The Rays already dealt away veterans Aaron Civale and Zach Eflin in July, so the front office clearly isn't afraid to lean on its younger options in the rotation. There was even buzz back before the trade deadline that Tampa Bay was likely to move off of Littell midseason.

First baseman Yandy Díaz and second baseman Brandon Lowe, both of whom were also mentioned in Feinsand's piece, have been at the center of trade rumors of their own in recent weeks. Tampa Bay picked up its $10.5 million club option on Lowe last month, but he could be shipped out of town if the club wants to trim payroll.

The same goes for Díaz, who is due $10 million in 2025. Spotrac projects Littell to earn $6 million in arbitration, which would make him the fourth-highest paid player on the roster.

Littell is slated to hit free agency next offseason.

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