Astros’ Free Agent Slugger Would Be Great Fit for Rays This Offseason

As the offseason continues for the Tampa Bay Rays, they will now be focused on trying to improve following a couple of trades. With some new needs following deals, one position is still an area of concern. 

It was a busy weekend for the Rays, who made two significant trades that overhauled the roster. Firstly, they finally decided to move All-Star slugger Brandon Lowe in a three-team deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. In return, Tampa Bay got two excellent prospects. 

Shortly after that move, the team then traded starter Shane Baz to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for four prospects. With both of these moves primarily bringing back players who will be in the minors, Tampa Bay took a bit of a step back for 2026 as of now. However, this is a team that does believe they will be a contender at the start of the season, and there is a lot of winter still to improve. 

While the team has some new needs following those two trades, there is still one position that has been a concern for the franchise, and that is at catcher. With some money being saved from the trades, they could look to use that to upgrade at catcher. 

Victor Caratini is a Great Option at Catcher

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Following the trade of Danny Jansen at the deadline last summer, production really fell off at the catcher position for Tampa Bay. The combination of Hunter Feduccia and Nick Fortes didn’t get the job done offensively, and that is the duo that appears to be the front-runners for playing time behind the plate. 

While Caratini might not be an everyday catcher, he would provide the team with an option both behind the plate and at first base. Jonathan Aranda figures to have that position locked up, but having versatility is never a bad thing. 

On offense, his numbers far exceed what the current options would provide. In 2025, he slashed .259/.324/.404 with 12 home runs and 46 RBI. It was his third straight campaign with an OPS over .700, and he was able to have a slugging percentage over .400 for the last two years. 

That type of production, even if it’s on a part-time basis, behind the plate would help improve the Rays quite a bit. With the catcher market being slim, Caratini is arguably the best option behind J.T. Realmuto. 

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