With the winter meetings right around the corner for the Tampa Bay Rays, things should start to heat up between now and then.
So far, the Rays have made a lot of minor roster moves to help set up the team for 2026, but there is still a good amount of work to be done. Tampa Bay has numerous needs, and the team is likely not going to be increasing spending all that much in its first year with new ownership.
Due to the American League East appearing to be extremely tough on paper, Tampa Bay might elect to move a couple of veterans and not try to contend in 2026. With the recent decision to let Pete Fairbanks head to free agency by declining their team option, that could very well end up being the case.
If they do elect to go in that direction, they will have one of the most talented sluggers available on the trade market. Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors recently wrote about Rays slugger Brandon Lowe being one of the best potential trade chips this winter.
Lowe Could Move the Needle