Rays interested in bringing back Chris Archer?

The Tampa Bay Rays fleeced the Pirates when they traded Chris Archer to Pittsburgh in 2018 for Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows. 

Despite trading him, it appears the Rays are interested in bringing back the right-hander. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays have discussed reuniting with Archer, who became a free agent in October. 

Pittsburgh declined to pick up Archer's $11 million option for 2021, making him eligible to sign elsewhere. 

The 32-year-old missed the entire 2020 season after undergoing surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome over the summer. In 2019, he went 3-9 with a 5.19 ERA, 1.412 WHIP and 143 strikeouts in 119.2 innings. 

Archer spent the first seven years of his professional career with the Rays, recording a 3.69 ERA, 1.230 WHIP and 1,146 strikeouts across 1,063 innings. He earned two All-Star selections, finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2013 and fifth in Cy Young voting in 2015. 

After declining Charlie Morton's $15 million option for 2021 and losing him to the Atlanta Braves, the Rays are in need of another starter. Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Ryan Yarbrough and Josh Fleming will likely handle duties on the mound, but Archer would help solidify the team's rotation.