1 untouchable Rays player ahead of trade deadline

The Tampa Bay Rays are having a little bit of a surprising season. In one of the tougher divisions in baseball, Tampa Bay sits 5.5 games back from the New York Yankees. The Rays will most likely not catch the Yankees this year, but they are half a game back in the Wild Card race. At 32-29, Tampa Bay is very much in the playoff picture. With that in mind, there are some moves for the Rays to consider at the MLB trade deadline.

Tampa Bay, at one point, was considered to be sellers this year. They were not expected to be as good as they are, but the performance from some unlikely players has been encouraging.

Tampa Bay’s success this year has been because of their pitching staff. They are seventh in the ERA, second in WHIP, eighth in batting average against, they have walked the second-fewest hitters, and allowed the sixth-fewest total runs.

Their hitters, however, could use some upgrades if they are going to be a playoff team. As a team, the Rays are slashing .246/.312/.389. They are a very average offense, and could some at a few different positions. If Tampa Bay plays themselves out of the playoff picture, it will be due to their lack of hitting.

With trades being on the table, the Rays have yet to make a decision on whether or not they will be buyers or sellers. Tampa Bay has already been in some trade rumors, but their play up to this point might suggest they are not going to be the sellers they were once thought to be.

If Tampa Bay decides to go for broke and get back to the playoffs, there is one player the team should hang on to this season.

The Rays should hang on to Pete Fairbanks

Pete Fairbanks has been the life of the bullpen in Tampa Bay. As mentioned, the Rays rely on their pitching staff, and Fairbanks is a big part of that. Fairbanks has been at the center of the Rays’ trade rumors. He is the type of reliever that would generate a pretty good return for Tampa Bay.

On the season, Fairbanks has made 25 appearances, which is the third-most on the team. In those appearances, the right-hander has thrown 24.0 innings, while allowing opponents to hit .178 off him. He has struck out 22 batters, walked 12, and his ERA is a low 1.88. Fairbanks has allowed earned runs in just three of his 25 outings this season.

Per Baseball Savant, the 31-year-old is in the 91st percentile in average fastball velocity, 99th percentile in barrel percentage, and 87th percentile in ground ball rate. He does a great job keeping hitters off balance, and he keeps the ball on the ground. With Fairbanks becoming a free agent after next season, it is easy to see why he is at the top of the wish list for many teams.

The right-hander is a big part of the team, and the Rays need him if they are going to continue winning games. Tampa Bay has to decide whether or not they are going to be buyers or sellers at the deadline, and the next couple of weeks will determine that.

They are right on the cusp of being very good. Trading Fairbanks would almost guarantee the team misses the postseason in 2025.