Rays Trade Catcher to Milwaukee Brewers as Deadline Approaches

The move comes three days before the MLB Trade Deadline. Recently, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported Jansen could be on the move. 

“Another Rays player who could be on the move: Catcher Danny Jansen, whom the team signed last offseason to a one-year, $8.5 million free-agent contract with a mutual option for 2026,” Rosenthal wrote. “If Jansen goes, the Rays could backfill with another catcher.”

Rosenthal also reported that the Rays would be open to the idea of moving other players, such as Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe, if they didn’t reverse their tailspin. At 53-53 and losers of four straight, Tampa Bay is signaling its willingness to sell by moving on from Jansen.

Jansen, 30, spent most of his eight-year career with the Toronto Blue Jays before being traded to the Boston Red Sox ahead of last season’s trade deadline. He signed a free agent deal with Tampa Bay in the offseason.

In 73 games for the Rays, Jansen is slashing .204/.318/.389 with a .703 OPS. His 11 home runs made him one of five Rays players to log double-digit homers this season.

In Areinamo, the Rays receive Milwaukee’s 24th overall-ranked prospect and 10th-ranked infield prospect. The Brewers signed Areinamo out of Venezuela for $150,000 in 2021, and he quickly put his skillset on display, becoming an Arizona Complex League All-Star in 2022. 

In 2025, Areinamo is hitting .297 (109-for-367) with 11 homers and 51 RBIs in 94 games with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Brewers’ High-A affiliate.