Could Rays still move a starting pitcher?

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 As 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 theyre 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.

Theres nothing to strongly suggest the Rays are planning to deal from the rotation.

Still, its nonetheless worth examining the teams 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 couldve 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.

Hes being paid a reasonable $5.72MM.

Hes not an ace by any stretch of the imagination, but based on how hes 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.

Hes controlled through 2027.

Moving him right now would mean moving their most talented starter at a time when theyd 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 dont 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 cant become a free agent until the 2029-30 offseason.

Were 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 weve 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 wont 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 67 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).

Theres 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.

This article first appeared on MLB Trade Rumors and was syndicated with permission..

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