The Tampa Bay Rays are sitting pretty right now. They’ve got a four-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East, they’ve won eight in a row, and they just look like the class of a weak American League. But baseball is a long season, and the Yankees aren’t going to stay down forever.
Judge is on the IL with a fractured rib. Stanton is still out with a calf strain. Grisham just came back and hit a homer in his first at-bat, which tells you something about the kind of depth they have. Once those guys return, the Bronx Bombers are going to be dangerous again. And the Rays know it.
That’s why Tampa Bay needs to be aggressive before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. They have the pitching. They have the defense. But they could use another bat and an arm out of the bullpen. Two names make a lot of sense: Byron Buxton and Aroldis Chapman.
Buxton Would Give the Rays Another True Power Threat
The Rays already have a scary trio in the middle of their lineup. Junior Caminero has been on an absolute tear, with 24 homers and a .288/.378/.552 slash line. Yandy Diaz is hitting .326 and getting on base at a .410 clip. Jonathan Arranda leads the team with 58 RBIs and has drawn 49 walks. That’s a solid core.
But after those three, there’s a drop-off. The Rays have guys like Jose Siri and Taylor Walls who are good defensively but inconsistent at the plate. Adding one more legitimate power hitter would make this lineup a nightmare for opposing pitchers.
Enter Byron Buxton. The Twins center fielder has 25 homers in 73 games this season, even though he’s currently dealing with a hip injury. He’s slashing .268/.325/.573, which is elite power production. And yeah, he’s said he doesn’t want to be traded, but players say that all the time. If the Rays make the right offer, Minnesota has to at least listen. Buxton has never played in a deep postseason run, and Tampa Bay could give him that stage.
Chapman Would Add Some Heat to the Bullpen
The Rays bullpen has been solid but not dominant. Closer Pete Fairbanks has 14 saves and a 3.32 ERA, but the middle relief has been shaky at times. That’s where Aroldis Chapman comes in.
The Red Sox are in last place in the division. They’re not going anywhere this season. And Chapman, who has 16 saves and a 2.19 ERA this year, is a luxury they don’t need. He’s also a free agent after this season, so Boston has every reason to move him for prospects.
Here’s the fun part: Chapman and the Yankees did not part on good terms. His tenure in New York ended with some ugly moments, and you know he’d love nothing more than to slam the door on them in a big September series. Putting him in the ninth inning for Tampa Bay would be a huge upgrade, and it would give the Rays a shutdown closer with postseason experience.
The Yankees aren’t going to roll over. Once Judge and Stanton get healthy, that lineup is as dangerous as any in baseball. But if the Rays go out and get Buxton and Chapman, they could be the team to beat in the AL East for the rest of the season.
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