The Rays are shopping outfielder Manuel Margot while looking for an offensive upgrade in the outfield, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links). It’s unclear if they’d only move Margot if they first pull off a separate addition. The Yankees are among the teams that have been in touch with Tampa Bay, per Sherman.
Margot’s profile is built around his glove. He was a plus center fielder early in his career. Nearing his 29th birthday, his defensive marks in center have dipped a bit but he remains an above-average corner outfielder. He’s still capable of playing up the middle, logging 305 2/3 innings over 35 starts there.
The right-handed hitter is a below-average offensive player. He’s hitting .254/.306/.364 through 258 trips to the plate. It’s not disastrous output but sits roughly 10 percentage points below league average productivity. That’s the range in which Margot has hovered for the bulk of his career. He makes a decent amount of contact with modest walk totals and power.
Tampa Bay signed Margot to an extension last April. He’s making $7MM this season, around $2.3MM of which is still to be paid out. He’ll be due $10MM next year and a $2MM buyout on a mutual option covering the 2025 campaign. It seems unlikely the Rays would be able to offload the entirety of that deal, so they’d probably have to kick in cash or take back another team’s undesirable contract.
The Yankees have been quiet this deadline season so far. New York is reportedly straddling the line between buying and selling. Corner outfield help has long been a target, and Margot is one of what’s surely a number of names to come up in talks with other clubs.
NickVin
Tommy Pham?
Francys01
Here is another outfielder that the Phillies can take a look at to acquire.
VonPurpleHayes
They need one that can hit.
jvent
Mets will swap Marte for Margot lol
braves25
Marte has a negative WAR this year. Other than stolen bases he has been terrible.
ccahoe02
As a rays fan yes take anything you can get for him
ws_champs
How many times are we going to hear the same line? There’s less than an hour left..
JojoA
Tyler O’Neill would be a great fit in Tampa
ccahoe02
Yandy does need a workout partner
mlbnyyfan
Rays can have Bader. Make Yankees an offer
JPR
They’re looking for a bat first outfielder. That would more or less rule out Bader, no?
thecoffinnail
Well, they can have Stanton and Bader then.
briar-patch thatcher
They’d have to give up Fairbanks and they won’t. They need O’Neill but they Rays will be the Rays.
ccahoe02
That’s a joke right?
cah011381
Nope, we’re not giving Tampa another outfielder
ccahoe02
This may be as much about unloading the $10M owed to him next year than anything
Bjoe
Take Edward Olivares from KC
tg0880
Austin Meadows is available
judgementday99
Below avg offense… he fits the Cashman mold
YanksPhan42
Just what the Yankees DON’T need. A righty hitter with no power who makes 10m per year.
Bob Lablah
Trading Randy’s BFF is not smart. Manny is a solid player still and a clubhouse leader. Who cares about saving money. Plus, as a coach I love the fact that he can bunt.
mlbnyyfan
If Cashman trades for Margot. Fire him immediately
Dcole_1019
Brent Rooker and Paul Blackburn for Carson Williams?
hansel2525
They already have one they don’t play enough. Josh Lowe.
bus035
Teooscar Hernandez for Dominic Keegan
The Einheri
Twins might give you something for him to use as a platton right-handed bat.
dr. miller beer
Dump Stanton on them!