The Tampa Bay Rays may not be done making changes to their roster this offseason. This time, the focus of trade discussions appears to be super-utility player Ben Zobrist.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Rays will at least listen to potential offers for Zobrist and Yunel Escobar:
This news comes after Rosenthal reported the Rays struck a deal with free-agent infielder Asdrubal Cabrera on Tuesday and also potential fallback options for the team:
Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune noted on Twitter that Cabrera's presence could have an impact on where the Rays stand with Zobrist:
Mark Zuckerman of Comcast SportsNet Washington noted that the Nationals, who lost Cabrera to the Rays, could be a potential landing spot:
Joel Sherman of The New York Post noted that the Yankees could have an interest, though there's been some reluctance by Tampa Bay to trade within its own division and Washington may have more immediate interest to make a deal happen:
The Rays are clearly going through a period where they want to shed payroll and restock their farm system. Trading David Price last summer was the first step in the process, but Zobrist might be a more valuable asset.
Entering the final year of his contract, Zobrist is set to make $7.5 million with a career slash line of .264/.354/.429. He's one of the most versatile players in the sport, able to play every infield position and both outfield corners.
If the Rays don't believe contending is an option in 2015, putting Zobrist on the market and waiting for the best offer makes the most sense. There are plenty of teams that can use a player with his unique skill set, so there should be no shortage of suitors.
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