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.
The Yankees could really use a pitcher. Maybe the Rays would be interested in lightly-used DJ LeMahieu.
BCB – Rays don’t trade players directly to the Yankees, so that won’t happen (and yeah, I know you’re being sarcastic).
Calling MP. Calling MP. You are wanted on MLBTR to intelligently and accurately answer questions and respond to bizarre statements about the Rays.
Oh, you are already here.
“Lightly used DJ”…You can shine ’em up and buff him down all you want, but that “used” D.J still has well over 300,000 miles on him. Thanks for the offer but no thanks.
The Giants have a good supply of starting pitchers.
Yaz, Birdsong and Villar for Jasson Dominguez. So tasty!
You’re welcome
Every team would be interested in a lightly used DJLM. The problem is the one you got looks like it’s been dragged across concrete for 20 miles.
Nah, the Rays pick smarter teams to trade with. Yankees take on big contracts
Yankees have a couple interesting projects in Henry LaLane and Carlos Lagrange, both 6’7, the Rays could be interested.
The Rays SPs are all very good though, would take a nice prospects haul to get any one of them.
Why spend anytime making such a ridiculous suggestion for maybe one giggle or 2 giggles if your lucky? Congratulations for significantly reducing the IQ of the average MLBTR reader. The world doesn’t revolve around the Yankees.
I don’t think the Rays are gonna help out the Orioles or Yankees at this point without a proper fleecing.
I really think a 3 team trade between the Rays, Padres and Orioles makes a ton of sense. Orioles get Cease, Padres get Y.Diaz and Littell, and Rays get Kjerstad, and a couple of other prospects.
That’s just the Orioles moving Kjersted for 1 year of Cease. The Orioles are not doing that. Burnes was 1 year for 2 fringe 100 guys. Orioles pass.
To be fair, they did trade Connor Norby away for absolutely no reason, so you never know!
O’s – What’s your preference though – (a) having a below average rotation, even with G.Rodriguez, or (b) adding a true TOR? The Orioles can probably wait until the Deadline to add pitching if all they care about is making the playoffs, as opposed to winning the division or getting a first round bye, but there’s no guarantee a team like the Padres will be willing to trade Cease then. Anyway, it was just a thought. I think the Orioles pitching is going to be a problem in 2025, but as a Rays fan, I suppose I should be grateful. .
If they trade Littell now, they don’t just gain prospects or controllable assets—they also shift league-wide pitching scarcity up by one notch. That means, by midseason, when everyone is scrambling for arms, the price of starting pitching skyrockets—and the Rays still have five quality starters to either win with or trade for an even bigger haul. In essence, they aren’t just playing the rotation market; they’re creating the market conditions that make their future moves even more valuable.
That’s some next level thinking there.
@mp2891
Always stay one step ahead…
@Yorky So are you saying Littel is more valuable in trade terms now or at the trade deadline? If they trade him now but don’t plan on trading any pitchers at the deadline then the scarcity principle would be meaningless for them, or could shoot them in the foot if they end up needing a starter at the deadline.
@Ignorant Son-of-a-b
It’s not just about whether Littell is worth more now or at the deadline—it’s about who controls the market when scarcity peaks. If the Rays trade Littell now, they aren’t just gaining assets; they’re forcing teams to deplete their own pitching reserves earlier than usual. That means by midseason, when demand for arms is at its highest, the Rays will still have one of the league’s few remaining surplus rotations.
Here’s where it gets interesting: by artificially shrinking supply now, the Rays increase the desperation factor later—not just for starters, but for controllable starters, which is what they’d still have. They’re setting up a trade deadline where:
They hold all the leverage if they choose to move an arm.
The teams that already spent to acquire pitching in March/April might now be stuck scrambling for upgrades—potentially overpaying in prospects or taking on riskier contracts.
If the Rays don’t need to trade anyone, they benefit from a weaker competition pool as other teams exhaust their depth trying to keep up.
This is more than just supply-and-demand—it’s a market-shaping move that maximizes optionality. Whether they trade at the deadline or not, they win.
I can’t believe all that drama you just described all hinges on whether they trade humble reliever-turned-starter Zach Littell or not. If it all hinges on just the notion that they -might- trade him, well then mere speculation from a baseball blog sure can cause chaos on the trade market…an unrealistic supposition.
@Ignorant Son-of-a-b
The power of a trade isn’t always in the player moved—it’s in the ripple effects it creates within a closed system. Littell himself isn’t the point; he’s just the first domino in a chain reaction that alters pitching scarcity league-wide.
Scarcity in baseball isn’t an objective fact—it’s a perceived condition shaped by front offices acting in anticipation of future moves. If the Rays trade Littell now, teams with pitching needs are forced to act earlier than they otherwise would. That preemptive behavior depletes supply, ensuring that by midseason, more teams are forced into an overpay scenario.
Think of it like a liquidity trap in financial markets. If a major player pulls capital (in this case, available starting pitching) out of circulation earlier than expected, scarcity isn’t just a theoretical concern—it becomes self-fulfilling as teams scramble to secure assets before they disappear.
This isn’t just speculation—it’s front offices behaving according to incentives. The Rays don’t need every team to panic, just a few key ones. That’s how a single, well-timed move shifts the trade market’s entire equilibrium.
But all that Tampa cares about is getting a decent return for Littell. If I am understanding what you’re saying, the only given if they trade him now is the creation of more scarcity later down the line. That would only benefit Tampa indirectly, in that teams would have to give up more in any trades. But that doesn’t benefit Tampa NOW if they trade Littell NOW. (Unless they trade Littell NOW hoping it influences the market when they dangle another starter LATER.)
Like LAD, high-ceiliing (ironic considering) prospects with high risk, and some returning from injury. They need to keep their heap, unless NYY or another is panicking and throwing out ridiculous offers.
And Jeffrey Springs is on The A’s, so not much depth for TB.
Run – In addition to Littell, Rays have McClanny, Rasmussen, Pepiot, Baz, Bradley, Boyle, Waguespack (who they resigned this offseason because they like him more than most would), Connor Seabold (who is having a great ST), top 30 prospects Rock and Seymour and possibly even Curet (who probably starts in AA), plus a bunch of nondescript bulk arms I could list that only Rays fans will have heard of. Rays don’t need to fleece another team to benefit from trading Littell now (or at the Deadline). They’ll be just fine pitching-wise.
Boyle has a fantastic arm. If the Rays work their usual magic and get him to throw strikes (he doesn’t need command, just control) they’ll have another above average SP.
If their smart, they would try to acquire Jose Suarez of the Angels. He has an incredible arsenal of pitches for a lefty, but the Angels coaching staff have failed miserably harnessing it for extended success in the big leagues.
Sure, but McClanahan is coming from injury. Rasmussen is injury prone, older and a lot of potential. Baz looked good in a short period last year, but also extensive injuries. Taj has 140 IP/season as a career-high and wasn’t average (per ERA+). Pepiot looks like he could have the most IP of all since he’s not coming off injury.
Run – All true, but it still comes down to available arms and spots in the rotation. Right now, the Rays are probably going to put Pepiot in Durham to start the season because he needs to spend only a week or so in the minors for the Rays to gain an extra year of control. He doesn’t “deserve” to be in the minors though, none of the Rays top 6 arms do. If no one gets injured this year, then someone has to be in the minors. Then you have Boyle, who the Rays believe can be a top 3 SP for them. They won’t want to derail his development by forcing him to stay in the minors all season just because there is no open spot in the rotation. Guys like Curet, Seymour and Rock will probably need some ML opportunities at some point too. This decision isn’t just about fielding the best 5 guys for 2025. Rays are deep with pitching and can afford to trade someone. There’s a risk they suffer multiple pitching injuries and regret the decision, but more likely than not, they won’t lose 4 SPs like they did a few years ago.
Was going to say the same.
Joe Rock
After last year I can’t believe the rays would have the balls to think 6 starting pitchers is enough. One of the top 5 will be hurt by May.
Rays should be running a 6 man rotation.
96 – Rays have been adamant they don’t want to do that.
Understood but it’s a no brainer for them given their depth and the injury/workload histories of their arms.
I disagree. Going to a 6 man rotation means 1 less bullpen arm. Plus, in this specific case, if they’re going to keep 6 starters, they might as well send Pepiot to AAA to start the year and get an extra year of control with him.
One less bullpen arm isn’t an issue if a 6 man both keeps your arms healthy and allows them to go deeper into games.
What would it take for the Mets to get McClanahan, would Tidwell, Mauricio or Baty, Parada and Alex Ramirez get it done ?
Jvent – McClanny isn’t going to be traded at half-price, so unless the Mets want to pay quite a bit more than McClanny should be worth today and incur most of the risk McClanny doesn’t come all the way back from TJS, I think you should assume McClanny is on the Rays’ No Trade List. That said, the Mets could offer all 5 of those guys and the Rays would say no on the spot. The Mets aren’t getting 3 years of an Ace (if healthy) making below $4MM this season by offering up their failed prospects and a probable middle of rotation pitching prospect. Benge and Sproat would have to be part of the package, and even with the risk today, they don’t get McClanny alone..
Is this a joke?
Casas for Bradley. Bradley throws 70%ish fastballs and is less likely to get hurt. Casas has been healthy for 4/5 of one season in 2023, but the Rays need enough help at the corners to probably bite, if both sides can get over inter-division trades
TB has Junior Caminero starting at 3B, a top 5 prospect last year, Yandy Diaz at 1B, 2023 AL batting champ, 2 Top 100 1B at AAA not counting Jonathan Aranda who finally broke out at the end of the season plus former Top 50 prospect Curtis Mead who’s on fire in ST, I’m not sure why they would need help at the corners or where he’d fit on the roster plus there’s no way they are equal in value, even baseball trade values has them 53.8 to 27.5 and they usually undervalue TB players.
Casas plays 1B, which is the deepest position on the Rays.. Even if it weren’t the Rays’ deepest position, and the Rays had serious interest in adding Casas (which I doubt), a 1B who has never even generated 2 fWAR in a season is not valuable enough to get 5 years of a pitcher like Bradley, who has TOR potential.
Ahhhh, but instead they’re running a circus. Ahahahahaha!
2 guarantees when you’re rays pitcher
All star/cy young season followed by TJ
So i’d keep all the arms if i’m tampa
“Rays pitcher”@Chanderbing…Tampa(and Dodgers) gets all the blame for some reason, but TJ surgeries are rampant among all teams actually.
Remember, if it were just Tampa the problem would be easy to solve, just avoid Tampa, but actually all teams are suffering an epidemic of severe pitching injuries.
A few more threads like this and you can let the Fantasy expert go.
Rays have Mason Montgomery assuming BP is where he will go but was an SP in minors – he has some bad luck in MLB (outside last season) seems like a AAAA player.
few years ago had some great minors numbers
On the verge of being one of the best left handed relivers in the mlb just wait you’ll see.
I wouldn’t give up in him as a SP yet.
96 – Monty doesn’t have the stuff to be an above average SP, but his stuff improves dramatically in shorter outings. He should never pitch more than 2-3 IP again.
Data – Monty dominated the low minors, but he was exposed in the upper minors as a SP and finally moved to the Pen last year. His FB velocity immediately increased by over 5 MPH and he started dominating like he never did as a SP. He will be a mainstay in the Rays’ Pen at some point this year, even if he starts out in Durham for control reasons. He’s definitely not a AAAA pitcher.
Didn’t know the velo jump only happened after moving to the BP. I’ve only watched him there pumping 97 with ease. There’s no way TB has 5 better arms than him in the BP. He looks dominant.
Five mph is A LOT. Usually velo jumps 2/3 mph. Wonder if he tweaked his mechanics too.
Rays trade McClanahan to the Yankees the right to use their stadium this year. : )))
Considering the Rays high injury track record they should be trying to acquire more pitching.
There shouldn’t be a comma before “naturally” when it follows “and.”
Well, probably not. The most tradeable of those assets would likely be Littell (Rays don’t hold on to these types for long because they usually have an internal clock of production), and Bradley (young but a proper change of scenery candidate). Pepiot/Baz/McLanahan are all likely off the table. Rasmussen just signed a moderate extension that may make it more palatable for teams to trade for him despite his injury history.
But teams have learned that having rotation depth is a necessity and not a luxury. If their pitchers remain healthy by trade deadline, whether the Rays are doing well or not, I look for at least one of these guys to be traded to a desperate team ignoring the risks each player brings with him.