Ben Zobrist Trade Rumors: Giants, Reds and Mariners all interested

Jul 11, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist (18) reacts a while looking at dugout after hitting a single in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 11, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist (18) reacts a while looking at dugout after hitting a single in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Tampa Bay Rays have more than a few assets that teams around Major League Baseball have been looking at and one of those pieces is rightfielder and second baseman Ben Zobrist.

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According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the team most interested in Zobrist could end up being the San Francisco Giants but there is interest in the infielder from the Reds and Mariners as well.

"The Giants are considered atop the teams most interested in 2B/RF Ben Zobrist; the Reds and Mariners among others"

Of the teams, the Giants do make a lot of sense as Zobrist seems to fit what the team is all about but the Mariners are starting to look like an intriguing landing place for not only trade bait this summer but for free agents in the winter as well. At the end of the day, the Mariners need right-handed hitting next to Robinson Cano and it’s going to be something they’re looking for as the deadline approaches and hitter start to become more and more available to them.

Zobrist seems like he could fit anywhere really, but he needs to start ramping up his production if the Rays want reasonable return on him. It’s been a rough year for him but Zobrist has shown in the past what he’s capable of when he’s in the middle of a hot streak and that’s the hitter teams would be trading for and hoping they get.

Stay up to date with the latest MLB Trade Deadline chatter from the hot stove over at FanSided’s one-stop MLB page.