With the trades of Randy Arozarena and Zach Eflin over the past two days, the Rays have already begun restructuring their team and shedding payroll while sitting at .500 (52-52) in each category. Another player garnering attention on the trade market is Isaac Paredes, and ESPN’s Buster Olney (via X) is reporting that the Rangers have negotiated with the Rays for Paredes in addition to their previously reported interest in Yandy Diaz.
The Astros and Mariners are also rumored to be interested in Paredes, and with the Rangers now in the mix, the All-Star infielder is generating plenty of interest in the AL West alone. It’s no surprise that a player like Paredes’ combination of age (25), affordability, team control and obvious baseball ability would draw the attention of baseball clubs.
Paredes has blossomed in his three seasons with Tampa, slashing .249/.356/.441 with 16 home runs in 421 at-bats this season. That equates to a wRC+ of 132, just below Paredes’ 137 in 571 at-bats in 2023. Offense-wise, Paredes has primarily played third base and has roughly average defensive grades depending on which metric you choose, but he has also spent significant time as a first baseman and (prior to this season) second baseman.
If Paredes does end up with the Rangers, it’s safe to say he’ll primarily play third base, since regular third baseman Josh Jung missed most of the season due to wrist surgery and then left a minor league rehab assignment due to continued pain afterward. Jung just resumed another rehab assignment yesterday (1-for-3 at-bats with Double-A Frisco), but it’s still a week or two away from him being back in the lineup, given the space he needs to get back into shape after such an extended break.
Josh Smith’s excellent play at third base will help Texas weather Jung’s absence to some extent, with the left-handed hitter Smith pairing nicely with the right-handed hitter Paredes. The same platoon factor allows Paredes to see time at first base when a left-handed starting pitcher is on the mound, giving the Rangers the opportunity to bench Nathaniel Lowe. Even if Jung were to return relatively soon in August, there would be no playing time crunch, as the Rangers could rotate one of these players into the DH position and have him play nearly every day.
Paredes is a Super Two player, making $3.4 million this season, the first of four seasons of arbitration eligibility. So Paredes’ addition adds another long-term option to a lineup that already has a lot of pieces locked in. Corey Seager and Marcus Semien have blockbuster contracts, while Lowe, Adoris Garcia and Jonah Heim have arbitration rights through 2026. Leody Taveras has arbitration rights through 2027, Jung and Smith through 2028, and star prospects Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford are both still rookies. Justin Foscue is also a hot prospect in his rookie season, and shortstop prospect Sebastian Walcott is at least two years away from making his MLB debut, but still fits within that wide window.
If the Rangers feel like this could create some kind of long-term play, or that Jung is developing well, they could acquire a rental-type infielder to replace Paredes. Such a move would naturally bring the cost of a prospect down significantly, as Tampa Bay would undoubtedly ask for a lot in a trade for Paredes. Given the years on his contract and the fact that the Rays are looking to win another championship in 2025, Tampa doesn’t face pressure to trade Paredes anytime soon, as even a big arbitration raise this winter would comfortably fit him within the Rays’ limited salary envelope.