Trade, Keep, Build Around: 3 Tampa Bay Rays with 3 Different Outcomes

The Tampa Bay Rays are off to a good start to 2022, and look primed to be a contender in the American League once again come October. If it was not for a historic start by the New York Yankees to start off the season, they'd be battling the Bronx Bombers and Toronto Blue Jays for supremacy in the AL East.

The Rays, perhaps more than any other club in baseball, always has eyes on the present and the future of their club. The team manages to maintain winning baseball every season by getting creative with their limited payroll, utilizing their deep farm system, and selling high on aging pieces or soon to be free agents.

The front office is continually evaluating who their cornerstone pieces are, who they need to hold onto for the near term future, and who they could be pawning off to the highest bidder. Here are three players that the Tampa Bay Rays should trade, keep, and build around.

Trade: Kevin Kiermaier

This trade may be a bit overdue for the Rays, and will not net the same kind of value as some of their other high profile deals have, but center fielder Kevin Kiermaier should be sent to another contender in the league before the trade deadline.

Over the course of his 10 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, Kiermaier has slashed .247/.307.408 while being arguably the best defensive centerfielder in baseball during that stretch, achieving 3 Gold Gloves along the way. After being a stable for this club for sometime, playing time needs to be cleared for some of the Rays up and comers.

After a hot stretch earlier this season, Kiermaier still sits at a lowly .618 OPS for the club, but still provides that elite defense that makes him so valuable. Contenders like the Astros, White Sox, Guardians, Mets, Phillies, and Braves may be interested in adding some outfield depth with an acquisition of Kiermaier, and the Rays should explore and execute on a trade soon.

Keep: Tyler Glasnow

If the Rays are looking to pull off another heist like the Chris Archer trade from years ago, Tyler Glasnow would be prime candidate for the "trade" section. But if Tampa Bay is serious about being a World Series contender, keeping Glasnow could make their pitching staff one of the best we've seen in a long time.

Before his season ending elbow surgery in 2021, Glasnow broke out as one of the best pitchers in baseball and cruised to a 2.66 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 123 Ks in just 88 innings of work. Glasnow looked every bit like the Cy Young candidate the team had thought he could be, but is still working his way back from his Tommy John procedure.

Perhaps the injury could be a blessing in disguise for the Tampa Bay ballclub. Had Glasnow continued his breakout season, he'd likely be a candidate for one of the biggest contracts to a pitcher in baseball, something the Rays simply cannot afford. But with the uncertainty of his market following that injury, the Rays may be able to extend the stud right hander to a more team friendly deal that gives Glasnow security for the next 3-5 seasons.

Although it would be a risky extension for the club, if Glasnow is willing to sign something, they have to offer it to him. The idea of teaming up Glasnow with the likes of Shane McClanahan, Shane Baz, Luis Patino, Taj Bradley, and countless other pitchers in the organization gives the Rays depth to withstand injuries to any of their key pitchers, and perhaps one of the most loaded rotations we have seen.