The trade deadline has come and gone, but did the first place Tampa Bay Rays have any tricks up their sleeves or did they have a different mindset for the deadline this year?
ST. PETERSBURG — Last year no one batted an eye when the Rays acquired Jesus Aguliar, Trevor Richards and Nick Anderson. Well, that was until Nick Anderson put himself in the conversation as best reliever in major league baseball.
This year — with a 4.5 game lead in the AL East and the best record in the American League — the Rays had a different mindset coming into this trade deadline. With just one minor trade in the books, the Rays really looked internally and considered the eight-ish players that will return from the IL before seasons end as their deadline acquisitions.
Charlie Morton, the first of the players to return, has been announced as Wednesday’s starter in game game three of the series between the Yankees.
One minor trade
The Rays did send LHP Anthony Banda to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations.
Banda is 1-0 this season with a 10.29 ERA in his 7.0 innings pitched.
Who’s coming back?
As mentioned earlier, the Rays are getting Morton back in the rotation for the series finale against the Yankees Wednesday. In addition, the should be getting back:
Ryan Yarbrough – groin (injured 8/28)
Jose Alvarado – shoulder inflammation (8/14)
Nick Anderson – forearm inflammation (8/19)
Oliver Drake – biceps tendinitis (8/8)
Andrew Kittredge – sprained elbow (8/11)
Chaz Roe – elbow soreness (8/20)
Mike Zunino – strained oblique (8/25)
Note: all injuries and dates injured are according to fangraphs
That’s a nice haul of pitching expected to return for a stretch run for the team with the best record in the American League. All without having to give up any assets to acquire those players.
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