The Tampa Bay Rays aren't the biggest spenders in the offseason, whether it's in trades or free agency. But, they're still trying to improve and field a competitive team.
They've made a couple of trades, sending both Brandon and Josh Lowe to new clubs, while adding a couple of nice players in return for those moves. But one move is still eluding the Rays.
As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic points out, the Rays are exploring trades for one position this offseason, one that's "haunted" the franchise since the 2008 MLB draft: catcher.
Rays seeking trades for new catcher amid nearly 2 decades of trouble
"The Tampa Bay Rays had interest in J.T. Realmuto before the Philadelphia Phillies re-signed the free-agent catcher to a deal that was unrealistic for Tampa Bay: three years, $45 million," Rosenthal reports.
With the Rays' interest in Realmuto clear, it's not a surprise to hear that the Rays are, per Rosenthal, "continue to explore trades for catchers."
But their search for a new catcher isn't such a simple one. While they likely will land a catcher by way of trade, there's a long history at the position that has haunted the club for a long time.
"The position has haunted them ever since they drafted Tim Beckham with the first pick of the 2008 MLB Draft," Rosenthal writes. "Buster Posey went fifth to the San Francisco Giants, after Pedro Alvarez (Pittsburgh Pirates), Eric Hosmer (Kansas City), and Brian Matusz (Baltimore)."
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Since 2008, and their miss of a few high-quality catching prospects, the Rays have started 14 different catchers. It's been a struggle at the position since, with only Wilson Ramos getting the starting job for two years in a row in the time since.
While they've had solid players like Mike Zunino, Danny Jansen, and John Jaso, the Rays have been sorely lacking a franchise catcher.
As the Rays explore the trade market for a new catcher, the Rays aren't just looking for someone to help in 2026, but a catcher to help the Rays find a long-term solution at the position for years to come.
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