Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Zack Littell (52) pitches in the second inning between Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on July 25, 2025. Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Yankees Rival Could Trade Multiple Players

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 4:00 PM ET

One of the New York Yankees' division rivals could shake up the trade deadline in a big way.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the expectation around the league is that the Tampa Bay Rays (54-53) will emerge as one of the top sellers over the coming days amidst a brutal July that's seen them go 7-15 and fall 2 1/2 games back of a Wild Card spot in the American League.

Other teams perceive Tampa Bay, which slumped through a brutal July, has joined the Diamondbacks as one of the primary sellers in the market: SP Zack Littell ("He's GOING to be traded," said one evaluator), RP Garrett Cleavinger and Peter Fairbanks, Yandy Diaz, Josh Lowe,…
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 29, 2025

Tampa Bay held the top Wild Card spot on June 30 while sitting just 1 1/2 games back of first place in the AL East, though its recent skid means the club will trade away veteran pieces for the second deadline in a row.

According to Olney, right-handed starting pitcher Zack Littell is a near lock to be moved in the next few days. He could interest the Yankees as an additional rotation arm who has excelled to the tune of a 3.72 ERA over 21 outings and 128 1/3 innings this season.

Left-handed reliever Garrett Cleavinger and right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks are both logical targets for New York as well given that the club owns the second-worst bullpen ERA in the league since July 1 at 6.51.

Cleavinger is under team control through the 2027 season and has logged a 2.41 ERA with 12.05 strikeouts per nine innings across 42 appearances this year. Fairbanks, on the other hand, has posted a 2.75 ERA and 18 saves in 39 1/3 innings this season while having a club option worth $7 million for the 2026 campaign.

The Yankees don't have much of a need for Yandy Díaz, Josh Lowe or Brandon Lowe, though the New York Post's Joel Sherman reported on Monday that one of the Rays' right-handed hitting middle infielders, such as Ha-Seong Kim, Taylor Walls or José Caballero, could emerge as targets for New York.

Interdivisional trades aren't super common at the deadline, but perhaps the Yankees and Rays could sort out a mutually beneficial deal before 6:00 p.m. EST on Thursday.

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