Rays lose out on potential trade candidate to replace Brandon Lowe

Ever since the pre-Christmas deal that left the Rays roster without a clear option at second base, the front office was on the hunt for a viable middle infielder to replace Brandon Lowe. Replacing a two-time All-Star like Lowe is no easy feat, but one Diamondbacks players would've easily sufficed. However the window has closed on his availability as Arizona chooses another offseason route.

According to a report from Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic, Ketel Marte will not be traded this offseason and will remain a member of the Diamondbacks organization. There were a few teams, including the Rays, that were supposedly in on the three-time All-Star second baseman. Tampa Bay was willing to let go of a few of their controllable starters such as Ryan Pepiot and the former Ray Shane Baz. It's hard to know what would've gotten the D-Backs to bite, but unfortunately the window has closed for now.

On the bright side, an AL East rival will also without the Dominican infielder in 2026. The Boston Red Sox were making a push for Marte around the time of the Winter Meetings. Young players like Jarren Duran and Marcelo Mayer floated around as pieces of this potential deal, but nothing came to fruition.

As of right now, the Red Sox's second base situation is very much up in the air. Kristian Campbell is an option especially after they locked him up for another eight seasons. However, his numbers started to dwindle down the stretch as the 23-year-old limped to a .223 AVG and six homers in his rookie campaign. The other potential suitors are David Hamilton and former Ray Tristan Gray which are both underwhelming options in comparison.

Ketel Marte will be heading into his 12th major league season. The 32-year-old began his career with the Mariners, but he was dealt to Arizona in a 2016 trade that included Seattle favorite Mitch Haniger and Jean Segura. Marte's nine seasons with the Diamondbacks have been nothing short of spectacular. The 6'0 infielder has collected two Silver Slugger awards in his long tenure which prove why he has been a sought-after trade candidate for multiple clubs.

The Rays were (and still are) searching for their 2026 second baseman after the trade that sent Brandon Lowe to the Pirates. Lowe won't be an easy player to replace, but Marte could've effortlessly slid into that role. Therefore, there's still work to do as the front office surveys the playing field for viable middle infielders.