As the Boston Red Sox search for roster additions with just a few days left until the MLB trade deadline, one dream fit can probably be crossed off the list. Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz would be pretty much the ideal fit in Boston's infield and its batting order. He brings power and a great eye, winning a batting title in 2023 and a Silver Slugger that same year. But a trade from one AL East team to another might have always been a long shot, and the closer we get to the deadline, the less it feels like the Rays will fully sell, even as their season has tanked a bit after a scorching stretch in the Spring.
Rays don't appear to be selling, especially to division foes
We're almost exactly 72 hours away from the MLB trade deadline and the Rays haven't started any kind of fire sale yet. Today, they traded Danny Jansen to the Brewers but then immediately added another major league catcher, Nick Fortes, from the Marlins.
Of course, adding a catcher with a career 70 OPS+ obviously doesn't signal that Tampa is "buying," but they're running out of time to ship the whole roster out, and if these are the kinds of moves they're making, it's a real possibility that nothing big ia coming.
Díaz is a high-level bat under team control for multiple years. Even if Tampa was still interested in trading him, Boston would need to part with a few high-level prospects.
Red Sox still have first base options available
It's not the end of the world if the Rays rebuff any trade offers the Red Sox present in the next few days. Guys like Ryan O'Hearn or, on a lesser scale, Carlos Santana, remain available available, and those teams would be more likely to make a deal with the Sox than Tampa would.