The Tampa Bay Rays are expected to be active at the MLB trade deadline, and second base looks like one of the spots they could target.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Tampa Bay has “shown interest” in Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, with Tarik Skubal also on the club’s radar. Nightengale wrote, “They not only have their eyes on Skubal, but they have shown interest in seeing whether the Diamondbacks would move second baseman Ketel Marte and Giants All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez as a backup plan,”
Marte, 32, has been mentioned in trade chatter in recent years, with buzz that the relationship between the Diamondbacks and Marte may not be the best. But from the Rays’ side, he would be a major offensive upgrade at a position where Tampa Bay needs help.
This season, Marte has hit .259 with a .780 OPS and 112 OPS+, along with 17 homers, 54 RBIs and 19 doubles. He has also drawn 29 walks against 56 strikeouts and posted 1.9 bWAR. The resume is strong, too: three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and 2023 NLCS MVP.
Marte is under club control through the 2030 season, with a 2031 player option on his six-year, $105 million deal.
If Tampa Bay were able to land Marte, it would be a clean way to address a clear need and give the lineup a real boost. Skubal may be the bigger headline, but Marte could be the kind of move that changes the shape of the Rays’ offense.
In Other News...
Rays Day 1 Draft Haul Could Reshape The Farm System
The Rays spent the opening day of the 2026 MLB Draft adding a wave of talent that could eventually alter the look of the farm system from the top down. With several of their first five picks coming from the prep ranks, Tampa Bay leaned into upside early, pairing a premium shortstop in Grady Emerson with another prep shortstop in Taj Marchand, then following with Liberty right-hander Ben Blair, high school arm Gavin Giese and slugger Collin Bland.
It is the kind of class that fits the Rays usual appetite for projection, but also one that comes with plenty of moving parts once the players arrive in pro ball. Marchand gives the organization another potential infield piece with defensive flexibility, Blair brings a college arm with real significance for the draft board, Giese offers a fastball-changeup combination that scouts will keep circling, and Bland adds major power potential with the usual questions about contact. For a system that always seems to be balancing present depth with future ceiling, this was a first day built to create options. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Suddenly Face A Deadline Fans Have Been Waiting On
The Rays are suddenly staring at a trade deadline that could shape the rest of their season, and the early read is that they do not plan to sit it out. According to USA Todays Bob Nightengale, Tampa Bay is preparing to act as an aggressive buyer, with the front office looking at a market that could help a club trying to position itself for a postseason push in a crowded American League race.
The needs are clear enough to explain the urgency: the rotation needs reinforcement, the lineup could use another bat, and there is even room for help behind the plate if the right deal presents itself. Names such as Tarik Skubal, Joe Ryan, Ketel Marte and Luis Arraez have already surfaced as possibilities, which tells you the Rays are aiming high as they weigh how far to push their chips in before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]