6/16 GDT: rays game 3

[jpx7]

Eflin still makes the most since in terms of fit, imo. With an 18 million dollar hit in 2025, the Rays surely want to move on from him. We could probably get him essentially free if we ate the entire salary, but I don't know how the luxury tax is affected with this move. Is it pro-rated, like the salary?

Other pitchers I like that fit what AA likes to do:

Sean Manea, 2025 player option.
Nathan Eovaldi, 2025 vesting option
Jon Gray, 1 year left under current contract
Chris Bassit, 1 more year control at 22 million
Jack Flaherty, no control but his contract is super cheap
Nick Pivetta


Even Verlander would be a good pick up if Houston would eat most of his remaining contract this year. And it seems unlikely at this point that he reaches his vesting option of 140 innings pitched.

I think picking up one of these names (or someone similar) and sticking with a six-man rotation (either Schwellenbach or Elder, of the current options; and then probably Smith-Shawver when he comes back from the IL) is the way to go. And I agree, of those names, Eflin is the most obvious player-to-roster and team-to-team fit.

For now, they've just got to ride Schwellenbach and whomever else they can call up to fit the schedule (with Elder looking like the obvious next-choice-up). I understand the concern with regular season W/L, but I'd rather bank on the offense rounding into form and continue to proactively manage the workload of the starting crew.