Rays Add Aaron Civale In Trade With the Guardians

Tampa Bay holds the first Wild Card spot in the American League. For much of the first half of the season, Tampa Bay played like the clear best team in baseball. However, without playing poorly, the Rays were overtaken in the AL East and are now tied in the win column with the Baltimore Orioles for the most wins in the AL. Part of the reason for this is a rotation decimated by injuries. The Guardians are in a unique position in the playoff race: only a half-game back of the division but mainly out of the wild card race at six games behind. Here’s how the deal impacts each team and the AL playoff picture.

Rays Trade For Rotation Depth

The first Rays trade of the MLB trade deadline netted them righty starter, Aaron Civale. Civale has pitched very well this season, posting a 5-2 record with a 2.34 ERA. Though he hasn’t thrown enough innings to qualify, he ranks second among all pitchers with at least ten starts. Though these numbers are partially due to good luck, Civale has been an effective starter throughout the year. He also comes with two additional seasons of team control, which is friendly to a club like the Rays. On Sunday, Civale threw six scoreless innings, striking out four on 81 pitches. Tampa Bay has only had two starters healthy for the entirety of the year, and Civale has been reliable since recovering from an oblique strain in June.

Guardians Acquire First Base Prospect

In return for Civale, Cleveland has acquired first baseman James Manzardo. Fittingly for the Guardians, Manzardo is a contact-oriented hitter, though he’s flashed some power at the minor league level. He’s hit .238 this season with 11 home runs for Triple-A Durham. Last year, he led Rays minor leaguers in all triple slash categories: .327/.426/.617. This is an odd deal for the Guardians, as three rotation members are rookies about to eclipse their innings levels from the minors. However, Manzardo is the 37th-ranked prospect in baseball and fourth in the Rays system. Civale is a relatively cheap arm with multiple years of team control, so it’s confusing why he was traded for such a relatively low return.

Impact on the Playoff Race

The Guardians and Rays trade is a rare case of two contenders trading between each other, though it’s unlikely to turn the playoff picture upside down. Civale will add depth to the Rays rotation, protecting them from further injuries. Civale will likely become the team’s fourth starter, health permitting. He’ll pitch behind Shane McClanahan, Zach Eflin, and Tyler Glasnow. Caught in a tight division race, the Rays will attempt to emerge on top behind Civale. For the Guardians, this threatens their chances at a playoff berth. The AL Central is a weak division, but giving up their best starter for a prospect looks like a step backward. Ultimately, one of the best teams in the league got better. A mediocre team got slightly worse this season. It remains to be seen whether the deal works out for both teams.