Sitting just above .500 for the season, the Tampa Bay Rays appear to be prioritizing the future, and they could be the beneficiaries of two teams — the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers — determined to make a run to the World Series this year since both reportedly have major interest in Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes.
The Dodgers, currently the top team in the NL West, and the Yankees, an AL East rival of the Rays who are just a game back from first place in the division, are bidding against each other in the Paredes sweepstakes, according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today. And there’s also a third playoff hopeful interested in the third baseman: the Houston Astros.
“The Tampa Bay Rays have a nice bidding war going between the Dodgers and Yankees for Paredes,” Nightengale wrote. “Astros also named here: The Houston Astros are desperately trying to land a starter, focusing on Flaherty and Feddex, and would also love to acquire Rays infielder Isaac Paredes, too.”
A first-time All-Star this year, Isaac Paredes has performed well for a middling Tampa Rays team that has been open to selling as the MLB trade deadline approaches. Paredes, 25, is having one of the best seasons of his career and could just be getting started.
