2023 Cy Young Candidate Becomes Trade Candidate (& Most Likely Destination)

The Tampa Bay Rays are one of those "pivot" teams — will they or won't they be sellers as we enter the home stretch here leading up to the trade deadline in about a week and a half?

The Rays are now six games back in the loss column for a Wild Card spot, and they're mired near the back end of a seven-team scrum chasing for the last two of those Wild Card berths. There's a very real possibility that they will be selling off some assets.

Near the top of that list of trade candidates is Zach Eflin, who led the American League in wins in 2023 (16) and finished 6th in Cy Young balloting. His 2024 has been a decent follow-up, with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP with a stingy, and major league-best 0.8 walks per nine innings.

The Rays recently got Shane Baz back in the rotation after his nearly two-year Tommy John absence, and will have Jeffrey Springs back in the days to come as well. In addition, Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen will return full-time in 2025. With a strong rotation like that to look forward to for next season, Eflin, despite his strong performance in his two seasons in Tampa, could be sacrificed now to boost their prospect pool.

In addition, he's set to earn $18 million in the final year of his deal next season, and we know how the Rays like to save money.

The St. Louis Cardinals are seen as a great fit as a landing spot for Eflin. He's familiar with the National League, having spent seven years with the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Cards "do need another starting pitcher," says Insider Robert Murray. "He could be a long-term option for them if they decide to extend him."