Yankees' trade choice from Rays roster should be obvious as scouts circle

Out of all the Yankees' division rivals in any given year, the Tampa Bay Rays will always be the most likely team to put country over party and engage in trade talks. Somehow, the Yankees have matched up with the Red Sox more often in recent years anyway, to mixed results (the Yanks celebrated dumping Adam Ottavino, the Sox were overjoyed that Brian Cashman wanted Alex Verdugo).

Why would the Rays be willing to wheel-and-deal with a team they see 13 times a year? Their earned confidence in successfully churning rather than rebuilding has made them immune to embarrassment. If they trade you an All-Star third baseman, they're confident that two more will spawn from someone else's discard pile. After all, if you win 90% of trades, why would you care which division the team you're plundering plays in?

Prior to the season, the Rays took on the Yankees' catching surplus in the form of Ben Rortvedt, who's delivered in spades. Now, with the trade deadline nearly upon us, Tampa Bay seems to be anticipating a potential rekindling of talks in an attempt to go two-for-two this year.

According to SNY's Andy Martino, "The Tampa Bay Rays have scouted just about every game that the Tampa Tarpons, the Yankees’ Florida State League affiliate, have played over the past few weeks, according to league sources."

While the Yankees could certainly make use of slugging third baseman Isaac Paredes, his pull-side approach from the right side won't play as well in their home ballpark as it does at The Trop, and Tampa Bay will surely be asking for an unnecessary king's ransom in exchange. Martino nails potential fits like Zach Eflin, lefty Garrett Cleavinger and Amed Rosario (whom the Yankees reportedly had interest in this offseason, and who could help with their issues hitting left-handed pitching).

Rosario is the safest and cheapest potential choice, but ... there's something uniquely tempting about Brandon Lowe's swing at Yankee Stadium. Can't ... put ... our finger on it ... oh, yeah, he's an uppercutting lefty who destroys us, right. Could play in the Bronx at a position of need, yeah.

Rays scouts descend on Yankees' farm system as trade deadline season heats up

The Rays would be selling high on Rosario (115 OPS+, .308 average, only two homers as a part-timer) and low on Lowe, whose expiring contract comes with team options attached for 2025 and 2026, which sound like kryptonite to Tampa Bay's Erik Neander.

Though Lowe's in the midst of a "down year," that still means a silent 133 OPS+ and .819 OPS attached to his .247 average. Perhaps it's more fair to say he was having a down year before he started July with a .333 average and 1.000 OPS in 12 games. With the Yankees' infield dangerously thin (and Jorbit Vivas still somehow unable to get any run), Lowe would represent a much-needed infusion of 30-year-old experience.

The Rays are likely confident they can replace him when the season wraps anyway, if not sooner. If the Yankees can obtain Lowe with a pair of faraway teenaged lottery tickets and a projectable arm like Brock Selvidge/Kyle Carr/someone else of the Rays' liking, they should run and not look back -- even if it might hurt in a couple years. When dealing with the Rays, it always does.