Blue Jays AL East Recap: Jays limp out of the break

Rays see positives amid losses

Tampa Bay Rays: 35-56

Any hope the Rays might have had about coming out of the break on the right track were dispatched after they took a series loss against the Orioles. They enter Monday almost 19 games back of first place, the second biggest deficit in the American League.

There is no doubt that the Rays will be sellers before the trade deadline. There is simply too much ground to make up and not enough time.

The Rays have a strong group of players, and do not need any trades to completely clean house. Instead, the Rays can be smart about their assets and depth and plan for the future. If they get truly promising returns on an offer for starters, such as Jake Odorizzi, they can choose to take them.

Their biggest trade chip might be with closer Alex Colome. He has held the ninth inning well for the Rays while veteran Brad Boxberger has been sidelined with an injury. The Rays could easily flip him and manage the ninth with their deep bullpen while they wait for Boxberger to return to the fold.

Next: Blue Jays may need a creative deadline approach

Final Takeaway:

While the Rays’ season is over, the team they have in place has the ability to be one of Baseball’s best. With smart and cautious deals at the deadline, and a rebound from their rotation. The Rays could very well be buyers a year from now.