After months of speculation, the Tampa Bay Rays finally traded David Price just hours before the July 31 deadline, sending him to the Detroit Tigers in a three-way deal that netted them Wily Adames, Nick Franklin and Drew Smyly.
Since the trade, their already slim playoff chances have dipped below five percent. More trades could be on the way for the Rays. One player that could be dealt is 33 year-old super utility player Ben Zobrist, who is under contract for $7 million this year with a $7.5 million team option for 2015 that includes a $500K buyout.
Zobrist’s contract is a bargain, but for the cost-conscious Rays it represents a significant dent in their payroll, hence their possible willingness to deal him. Thanks to a red hot second half where he is hitting .333/.416/.545, Zobrist is having a very solid year all-around.
Combine that with his usual solid defense, and Zobrist has tallied 4.0 fWAR. Despite his age and rather mediocre first half numbers, he’s on track to produce another +5-6 WAR season.
Zobrist has long been one of the game’s best players. Since 2009, only Miguel Cabrera has more fWAR. Second base is his best position, but he can also play corner outfield or shortstop and third base. Though his 20+ home run days are probably behind him, his strikeout rate has dropped to 12.6 percent.
Looking to the rest of the season, ZiPS and Steamer forecast a batting line in the neighborhood of .270/.360/.420, which is approximately 25 percent better than the major league average. Over the remaining 50-odd games, he could contribute +1.5 fWAR.
One team that had a lot of interest in Zobrist before the July 31 trade deadline was the San Francisco Giants. Second base has been a black hole for the Giants, who gave significant playing time to journeyman Brandon Hicks before releasing him.
They picked up Dan Uggla, who they recently released after he was predictably unproductive. Currently the position is being manned by Ehire Adrianza and Joe Panik. The Giants are within shooting distance of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and avoiding the one-game playoff is very important.
As Zobrist is more than a rental, and carries a bargain-priced option for the 2015 season, the Giants would have to give up a significant prospect to pry him away from the Rays. The Jake Peavy trade depleted a farm system that was far from loaded. Kyle Crick, a hard-throwing 21 year-old in Double-A is their top prospect. He’s striking out hitters at a very high rate, but is also issuing walks at an alarming rate. Other prospects such as Adalberto Mejia and Christian Arroyo have underperformed.
Of course, the Rays are in position to compete for the American League East in 2015. As such, they won’t feel pressure to trade Zobrist. It will take a big offer by the Giants or any other team to make a deal work. If they want to deal Zobrist, they can wait until this winter to drum up interest in a trade.
