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

Scott Effross, RP (Chicago Cubs)

Like Wisdom, Effross's style of play would make him appear as a natural in a Rays uniform. He made his Major League debut last season at the age of 27, and he doesn't play on a contending team so many fans either haven't heard his name or didn't know he existed until this season. However, he's quietly establishing himself as one of the most effective relief pitchers in the game (3.29 ERA, 2.25 xERA, 5.5% of batted balls against go for solid contact). He also has an unorthodox sidearm delivery with a sinker/slider combination at the top of his repertoire, making him a nightmare matchup for many batters, especially right-handed ones.

Similar to Swanson, he is a relief pitcher on the right side of 30 years old who is under team control for the foreseeable future in an organization that may not contend this year but has the tools to do so within a few seasons. Whether or not he gets traded could indicate how far away the Cubs' front office believes their window of success to be. Relievers can generally remain effective farther into their 30s than starters or position players can, and Effross has yet to play a full season in the Majors, so it would be perfectly reasonable to suggest that Chicago would want to use him in the long term.

The Rays owe it to themselves, though, to at least ask about his availability. Their bullpen has been a strength, but injuries are mounting, and Effross is a good candidate to plug the vacancies in their roster should the Cubs make an effort to trade him.