Grading every team’s World Series chances after the trade deadline
By Brad Weiss
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays did not have much of a chance to make it to the World Series entering the trade deadline, and they certainly do not have any chance of getting there after it. The Rays parted ways with some of the best players on their roster, as they were once again sellers at the trade deadline.
The biggest name that will be leaving Tampa Bay is starting pitcher Chris Archer, who will join a division race in Pittsburgh with the Pirates. Archer has been the ace of this staff for quite some time now, and with him in Pittsburgh now, the Rays really have no arm to rely on going forward.
Incredibly, the Rays entered the trade deadline with a .500 record, despite the fact that their roster was lacking much talent. In addition to Archer leaving the team, Tampa Bay also let their All-Star catcher go, as Wilson Ramos was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, who are surprisingly in first place in the NL East.
Ramos and Archer were the two biggest names on this roster, but they were not the only Rays to leave town over the past week. Tampa Bay also traded fellow starter Nathan Eovaldi to the Boston Red Sox, and relievers Matt Andriese to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Johnny Venters to the Atlanta Braves, as they really cleaned out their cabinets.
Tampa Bay was not expected to do much this season, and they are going to have a hard time fielding a competitive team the rest of the way. It seems to be another lost season for the Rays, and with the AL East loading up at the top, it is going to be a long time until they contend for the division again.