Rays prove they're deadly serious about holding off Yankees with blockbuster Mets trade

Just because the Tampa Bay Rays missed on (weren't involved on?) Tarik Skubal doesn't mean they aren't taking this second-half opportunity seriously. After watching their lead over the Yankees in the AL East dwindle and disappear once before stealing it back and expanding it, the Rays clearly aren't comfortable resting on their laurels, as word broke Sunday that they'll be adding Freddy Peralta from the Mets to a rotation that includes Shane McClanahan, Nick Martinez, and Drew Rasmussen.

This could've been worse for the Yankees. It could've been Skubal. Peralta has struggled this season, posting a 4.99 ERA and 1.478 WHIP, unable to provide length in a showcase season in Queens. The Rays did need an upgrade to keep pace, given McClanahan's recent injury (not his first go-round in that department) and a back end of the rotation that included Ian Seymour and Griffin Jax by default.

Still, Peralta was seen as a clubhouse galvanizer with No. 2 upside when he left Milwaukee for the Mets, and while August and September isn't much time to spend in a pitching lab, the Rays do a better job than basically anyone at emphasizing a pitcher's best attributes quickly as the clock ticks.

Perhaps most importantly? This is a warning shot sent in the Yankees' direction, proving that the Rays don't intend to operate only on guile this summer. They're leading the division and they can strike in the same markets that Brian Cashman typically dominates. They're not going away, and they're around every corner.

Rays just upped trade deadline ante on Yankees with Freddy Peralta splash

The Rays had to surrender ample talent from their farm system, but no one from their top tier - this is MLB Pipeline's Nos. 15, 26, and 27 prospects, including the affable and quirky pitcher Gary Gill Hill. They still have plenty of ammunition to add some slug to their offense or perhaps a bullpen difference-maker.

Brian Cashman should've felt the pressure already long before this deal was called in, but it's now abundantly clear the Rays are willing to swim in the same waters he prefers to add reinforcements ahead of the stretch run. Whether or not the Yankees ultimately do track them down and win the division, they should be ashamed if they do not try.

With both clubs purportedly in the catching market and the Rays retaining their best chips, this deadline could get dicey for Cashman, who's yet to add to his big-league roster.

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