5 more Tampa Bay Rays who could be moved after Aaron Civale dealt

The Tampa Bay Rays shocked the MLB world on Wednesday when they traded Aaron Civale to the Brewers in a deal that sent them a lottery ticket prospect back in return. Civale struggled mightily in his time with the Rays, so moving on from him while they could get something back makes sense. However, trading Civale for a prospect signals that this team might be interested in selling.

This is a bit surprising considering the fact that despite the Rays being 11.0 games behind the first-place Orioles in the AL East, they're only 3.0 games back of the third Wild Card spot. They're even sitting above .500.

How much more the Rays sell if at all remains to be seen, but if they do sell, these five players in particular could be on the block.

5) Amed Rosario is an intriguing trade asset

The Rays took a flier on Amed Rosario over the offseason, inking him to a one-year deal worth just $1.5 million, and it has worked out in their favor. Rosario has had a strong season, as many expected he would by going to a team like the Rays.

Rosario has appeared in 63 games and is slashing .291/.314/.400 with two home runs and 24 RBI. He doesn't hit for power and doesn't walk much, but Rosario puts the ball in play a ton and has played four different positions this season alone, including right field which is a new spot for him.

He's not a big name but has a history of hitting left-handed pitching well (career .800 OPS vs. LHP, .290 average vs. LHP in 2024), can play several different positions, and is dirt cheap. Some team out there in need of position player depth could look to acquire him.

4) Phil Maton could be traded if the Rays sell

The Rays did something they rarely do. They paid a reliever. They gave Phil Maton a one-year deal worth $6.25 million which included a $7.25 million club option for the 2025 campaign. This contract came just after Maton had been a crucial piece in an Astros bullpen that made multiple deep postseason runs with him.

Unfortunately for much of this season, Maton has not come close to living up to the contract he signed, as evidenced by his 5.01 ERA in 37 appearances. However, he has picked it up lately, and that could make him an intriguing trade candidate.

In his last eight appearances, Maton has given up just one run on five hits in nine innings of work. He has not walked a single batter after walks were an issue in the early parts of this season, and has seven strikeouts. In other words, he's been dominant. With so many teams in need of bullpen help this time of year, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him moved.

3) The Rays could sell high on Jason Adam

Jason Adam is a fun trade candidate to watch because the Rays don't have to trade him even if they sell. The 32-year-old has been one of the most consistently reliable relievers in the majors since putting on a Rays uniform, and he's under team control through the 2026 season.

That team control could make the Rays want to keep him, but it could also mean they could try to sell high on him and get a haul back. Considering the fact that he's just a reliever and that he's over the age of 30, there's a very realistic chance that the Rays would choose the latter.

Adam has a 1.95 ERA in 38 appearances this season. He has a 2.15 ERA in 161 appearances with the Rays. He has been one of the most underrated relievers in the game for years now. Other teams might be willing to give the Rays an offer they simply can't turn down.

2) Zach Eflin could be one of the best starting pitchers traded

Zach Eflin signed a three-year deal to join the Rays last offseason, and all he's done in Tampa Bay is improve his stock. His start to this season hasn't been as good as he was in 2023, but Eflin still has a 3.92 ERA in 15 starts and 87.1 innings of work.

The 30-year-old has completed five innings in all but one of his starts and he has completed six innings in eight of his 15 outings. That kind of consistency we just don't see nowadays. What's most intriguing about Eflin is that he has issued just seven walks all season compared to 69 strikeouts. He leads the league with his 0.7 BB/9.

He's not an ace, but is more than viable as a mid-rotation arm. He's making just $11 million this season and $18 million in 2025. If the Rays make him available, they'll have an abundance of suitors calling.

1) Brandon Lowe is a name to watch

Brandon Lowe's .220/.322/.455 slash line might not be eye-popping, but he has a 121 OPS+ this season. He has a 126 OPS+ in his career. When healthy, he has consistently been one of the best offensive second basemen in the game.

Lowe hasn't come close to replicating his 39-home run year back in 2019, but when healthy, he has consistently been good. The Rays have Jose Caballero capable of filling in at the keystone for now, and have guys like Curtis Mead and Junior Caminero on the cusp of contributing at the MLB level.

Lowe has two club options on his contract worth $10.5 million and $11.5 million respectively. In other words, he'd come very cheap for any team that would trade for him. It'll be interesting to see if the Rays do opt to part with him.