3 Slumping Hitters Who Could Turn Things Around with a Trade to the Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays have started the 2022 season as one of the better teams in the American League, thanks mainly to their elite pitching. The offense as a whole has been underwhelming this season and will need to improve in order for this team to be more than just a Wild Card team.

The Rays currently rank 22nd in baseball in OPS, and rank middle of the pack to bottom third in almost every major category outside of stolen bases offensively. While injuries to guys like Brandon Lowe and Wander Franco have not helped the team, sluggish starts from key contributors like Mike Zunino, Brett Phillips, Kevin Kiermaier, Vidal Brujan, and others have shown that the team desperately needs a jolt of energy offensively.

Typically, contenders will look to trade for players who are hitting well with their current teams, but sometimes a change of scenery for a hitter can do the trick as well. Here are 3 sluggers off to slow starts for their current teams who could turn their seasons around with a trade to Tampa Bay.

Target 1: Salvador Perez

Coming into 2022, Mike Zunino was slotted to be a major bat in the Rays lineup and is being paid one of the highest salaries on the team to do so. Thus far, he has slashed just .152/.200/.313, which is unacceptable play for what was expected of him. Trading for a guy like Salvador Perez could transform the Rays lineup.

Although backup catcher Francisco Mejia has been a fine option to start the year, acquiring Perez would be wise to pair with Mejia at catcher and rotate at the DH spot. Perez is slashing just .199/.240/.404 for a struggling Royals ballclub, and although he signed an extension with the club before the 2021 season, Kansas City would be wise to shop one of the centerpieces of their 2015 World Series team. Unfortunately for Perez, he has been battling a thumb injury, which is clearly impacting his performance.

Last season, Perez had an OPS of .850 with 48 HR and 121 RBI on a club with very little talent around him. Inserting that level of talent into the middle of the lineup on a contending team could rejuvenate Perez's production. Even if he is only able to regain 70% of the player he was last season, that would still be a huge boost to the Rays lineup.

For the Royals, the club is still far from being a contender in the American League and has an up-and-coming catcher in MJ Melendez who has produced thus far at the big league level and needs to get consistent reps for his development. As difficult as it can be to part with club icons, we just saw the Chicago Cubs sell off their key players from their 2016 run, and the Royals would be wise to do the same with their beloved catcher

Target #2: Tyler O'Neill

The Rays have a thing for former Cardinal outfielders (see Randy Arozarena and Jose Martinez), and would be wise to buy low on the five-tool outfielder Tyler O'Neill of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 2021, O'Neill's first full big league season, the Cardinals slugger was an absolute menace, finishing with a .912 OPS that was shown off by his power and speed combo that resulted in 26 doubles and 34 including 11 bombs during the Cardinals' historic stretch during the month of September.

Need life in your lineup? O'Neill was your guy last season, finishing 8th in MVP while collecting his second career Gold Glove. Unfortunately, O'Neill has looked lost so far in 2022.

In the 32 games played before landing on the IL with a shoulder injury, O'Neill's OPS dropped off to .552, and struck out 42 times in 133 PA. O'Neill is set to make his return to the Cardinals lineup in the first game of their series with the Rays, but it remains to be seen if he'll stick in their lineup.

The Cardinals and O'Neill have gone through a lengthy arbitration process since the offseason, and the newcomers Juan Yepez and Brendan Donovan have been producing in his absence. If O'Neill does not bounce back quickly, the Cardinals may be willing to part ways for the right price, meaning the Rays could snag one of the most exciting players in baseball for their lineup