5 Players the Tampa Bay Rays Could Trade For Before the Deadline

Tyler Naquin, RF (Cincinnati Reds)

Naquin is a complicated option because he's currently on the injured list due to a quadriceps injury, and he's not expected to return to action for another month. That still means he should be healthy a couple of weeks in advance of the trade deadline, and he has some strengths that the Rays could use.

He has an interesting power/speed combo 45 extra-base hits, above-average Statcast sprint speed in 2021) and desirable offensive production while playing in the outfield, which the Rays haven't really gotten from any of their outfielders on a consistent basis besides Manuel Margot. He's another left-handed bat that can use his power and his speed to be a multi-dimensional offensive threat, and he got off to a productive start before his injury this season as well. Over the last 2 seasons, in 166 games, he has a respectable 110 wRC+.

His injury makes the process of trading him a lot less simple for the Reds' front office for a multitude of reasons. There could be a setback that keeps him on the shelf through the trade deadline, teams could be hesitant to acquire him depending on how well his recovery goes, and if he returns on schedule but starts off slowly with the bat, Cincinnati may fail to find a buyer for him. However, if the recovery timeline stays as it is, he could add length to this Rays lineup that still hasn't fully clicked this season.