The Tampa Bay Rays have made a flurry of moves this offseason, with most of them being for the better. However, one move did end up with them trading starting pitcher Shane Baz, and they need to find a replacement for him.
Luckily for them, there’s an old friend that fills his place quite well. Fansided’s Christopher Kline predicts the Rays will sign their 2025 trade deadline piece, Zack Littell, once again.
“Few teams hold the line better than the Tampa Bay Rays, a savvy small-market club that is typically able to navigate the perils of outgoing talent with smart, low-risk investments or internal promotions. In this instance, Tampa would bring back Littell after trading him to Cincinnati at the deadline, a deal that did not pan out for the Reds. Littell has proven himself to be durable over the years and he tends to avoid freebies on the mound. His command and stability should aid Tampa in lieu of Shane Baz,” Kline wrote.
This past season, Littell posted a record of 10-8, a 3.81 ERA, 130 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.104 over 186 innings pitched. He wins more often than not, and he eats innings, both top qualities in starting pitchers.
He's also only projected to cost $38 million over three-years, which would be perfect for a small-to-mid-market team like Tampa Bay.
Hopefully, the Rays see the same pros in reuniting with their old pitcher, and get work on signing him.
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