3 Most Likely Rays Trade Targets at the Deadline

The Tampa Bay Rays currently occupy the fourth-place spot in the AL East, 23, but their 37-32 record only has them sitting 1.5 games back of the final American League wild card spot. Needless to say, a postseason return isn't out of the question.

While the Rays might trust in their roster to overtake a wild card spot, it also wouldn't hurt to improve on certain positions that could use an upgrade. With the trade deadline quickly approaching, general manager Erik Neander shouldn't have any trouble finding some reinforcements.

The MLB trade deadline is August 2, and these three players are the most likely to be targeted by the Rays before the first week in August.

Rays Trade Rumors

1. David Peralta, LF — Arizona Diamondbacks

The Rays will likely be looking for an outfielder now that the injury bug has hit their outfield this week. One player that could help with the situation is Arizona Diamondbacks leftfielder David Peralta. The 34-year-old veteran is on an expiring contract and the D-Backs would rather move him than lose him for nothing. Although Peralta's .234 batting average is the worst of his career, he's still recorded eight home runs and 27 RBIs in 61 games. Even if the Silver Slugger is only a temporary fix in the outfield, he can certainly transition into one of the better bench bats in the league.

2. Paul DeJong, 2B/SS — St. Louis Cardinals

With second baseman Brandon Lowe and shortstop Wander Franco dealing with injuries, the Rays would be wise to invest in some middle infield depth. One player that they could get for cheap is St. Louis Cardinals 2B/SS Paul DeJong. The former 2015 fourth-round pick was sent to the minors back in May after batting .130 with an HR and seven RBIs through 24 games to start the season. The Rays should be interested in him solely because he hit at least 19 HRs in four of the previous five seasons. DeJong isn't thrilled about being in the minors, making it logical for the Cardinals to part ways with the 28-year-old, who'll be a free agent in 2024. If St. Louis is willing to move on and the price is right, Tampa Bay shouldn't hesitate to call.

3. Drew Smyly, SP — Chicago Cubs

The Rays could use another starting pitcher to shore up their rotation, with one option being Chicago Cubs starter Drew Smyly. Before landing on the injured list with an oblique strain, the 33-year-old looked solid, pitching to a 3.80 ERA and 1.266 WHIP in nine starts. There isn't any reason to be concerned about his injury either, as his recovery is on track and he's slated to face live batters next week. Furthermore, Smyly has experience with the Rays, recording a 15-15 record and 3.95 ERA in 49 starts from 2014 to 2016. He's since gone out and won a World Series with the Atlanta Braves last year, making him the proven performer the Rays could use in their rotation.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.