Rays Land Stunning Offseason Trade Prediction Amid ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays enter the offseason positioned to strengthen a catching spot that has limited their lineup power, and an MLB analyst believes Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman could be the solution.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report predicted this week that the Rockies will trade Goodman to the Rays before the 2027 season.

“Meanwhile, the Rays are hoping to have their new stadium ready for the 2029 season. The thing to do in the meantime is build the hype, and then deliver a team that represents a newer, better era of Rays baseball,” Rymer wrote.

“A trade for Hunter Goodman would do the trick. He had more home runs this year (41) than the Rays have gotten from the catching position across the last three years (36). Conveniently, the 27-year-old is controlled through 2029.”

Goodman finished the 2026 season with a .245 batting average, 41 home runs, 88 RBIs and an .839 OPS in 138 games.

The 27-year-old right-handed hitter earned All-Star selections in both 2025 and 2026 while remaining under club control through 2029.

Tampa Bay showed interest in Goodman ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, when the Rockies ultimately held onto him after seeking packages that included top prospects.

The Rays’ catching group has produced just 36 home runs over the past three seasons combined, leaving a clear opening for an established power bat. Goodman has demonstrated that his production is not solely a product of Coors Field, having generated significant damage on the road throughout his career.

The Rays finished the 2026 season with a competitive record that kept them in the playoff conversation, giving the front office reason to add a controlled middle-of-the-order presence rather than rely solely on internal options.

Liam Hicks provided solid production behind the plate for Tampa Bay this year, but pairing him with Goodman could create one of the more productive catching tandems in the American League.

Any deal would require the Rays to part with substantial prospect capital, as Colorado has consistently demanded packages headlined by high-end talent such as outfielder Theo Gillen.

Tampa Bay’s farm system ranks among the deeper groups in baseball, giving the organization the inventory needed to meet a high asking price if the Rockies decide to move Goodman.

The Rockies themselves enter the winter with a young core and a desire to continue building toward sustained contention, making an asset-driven trade for their All-Star catcher a logical path.

Goodman’s projected arbitration salary for 2027 sits near $6 million, an affordable figure for a 41-home-run bat under multiyear control.

With a new stadium scheduled for 2029, the Rays have a defined window to elevate the roster and generate excitement around a more potent lineup.

Adding Goodman would immediately address the position that has lagged behind the rest of Tampa Bay’s development under manager Kevin Cash.