Dodgers’ Trade Idea Adds Rays’ 2.15 ERA Reliever Pete Fairbanks originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
With the MLB trade deadline just over a month away, it’s the season of trade proposals. The Los Angeles Dodgers, as usual, are one of the top teams in MLB and are expected to be busy ahead of the deadline.
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ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan recently listed Tampa Bay Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks as a potential trade target for the Dodgers.
If there was a trade that made too much sense, this may be it. The Dodgers’ bullpen has not been good this season. It ranks in the bottom half of MLB, despite its five best arms averaging about a 3.50 ERA.
Fairbanks is having a very strong season behind a 2.15 ERA and a 1.159 WHIP with 13 saves. His addition to the Dodgers’ bullpen would immediately give them their best arm and potentially a closer battle with Tanner Scott.
The only caveat: Would the Rays be willing to give up Fairbanks, and what would the price be?
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The Rays currently sit at 43-35, just two games back from the New York Yankees in the NL East. Tampa Bay is currently the top wild-card team and would make the playoffs if they started today.
Fairbanks is the Rays’ closer and a veteran reliever on a team that looks primed for a run in October. However, the Rays have proven to be one of the best teams in the league at finding diamond-in-the-rough pitchers, developing young guys into lights-out arms.
Despite Fairbanks’ impressive numbers this season, he’s the third-best reliever – ERA-wise – the Rays have. Eric Orze holds a 1.97 ERA across 32 innings, and Manual RodrÃguez has a 2.08 ERA across 30.1 innings.
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks (29) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the ninth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field.Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Fairbanks is due about $3.8 million in 2025, with a club option of $8 million in 2026. The Rays’ closer fits the Dodgers’ pitching style with his 97 mph fastball and 85 mph slider with a changeup mixed in.
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The Rays are well within the playoff hunt, but Tampa Bay has demonstrated the willingness to let key arms go and rely on young, up and coming young arms to take over. The Rays could send Fairbanks to the Dodgers and receive a young prospect in return.
Fairbanks would add a huge strength to the Dodgers’ bullpen and position Los Angeles in the perfect spot for another World Series run.
Related: MLB Writer Pitches Interesting Dodgers Trade Deadline Strategy
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.