MLB Rumors: Tampa Bay Rays will wait until deadline to deal David Price?

The Tampa Bay Rays received a gem from ace starting pitcher David Price this week. After Price dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates in front of the home crowd, many people assumed that we had seem pitch for the Rays for the final time.

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The climate was perfect for a Price deal. That’s what we heard from multiple reports, namely one from ESPN’s Buster Olney, that the Rays were getting ready to make a move. They have willing suitors, after all, and the sooner they trade him the sooner they can cease worrying that he will hurt himself or otherwise damage his value between now and the July 31st deadline.

Now, if conflicting reports are to be believed, the Rays might wait until closer to the deadline itself to make a deal. Acknowledging the risks of waiting, this would give the Rays a chance to let the trade market take shape and possibly capitalize on the increased urgency felt by potential trade partners.

Jon Heyman of CBS says that he hears a deal before the end of July is unlikely.

"That’s why several executives around the game polled on this subject expect the Rays to wait until late July to pull the trigger on a Price blockbuster. A surprise deal can happen at any time, of course, but execs on teams expected to be in it say they would be stunned if it happened anytime in the next week or two. The mini sendoff was nice, but probably not necessary."

There can be benefits to either strategy, but it still seems likely that the Rays might try to deal sooner than later in order to maximize their value and strike early in a seller’s market. Whatever they do, they will probably get it right; even with a bad season in progress, the Rays rarely misstep with these sorts of decisions.