The Winter Meetings are over as teams have made their long treks back home, or in the Rays case, a brief drive down I-4 back to Tampa Bay.
It was a busy few days for the Rays, even if they only added one
player to their projected Opening Day roster.
Let’s break down what happened:
Rays sign LHP Steven Matz
On Monday, the Rays were one of the few teams at the Winter Meetings to actually do something as they signed veteran southpaw Steven Matz to a two year deal.
It hasn’t been reported yet as to how the Rays plan to use the 34-year old lefty, but his former manager Alex Cora told reporters during his media session that Matz wanted to return to the starting rotation in 2026.
We also know the Rays were/are in search of a veteran pitcher capable of providing plenty of innings and it’s possible they may look to Matz as the answer should any current rotation arms get traded or another veteran isn’t signed or acquired.
INF Logan Davidson signs MiLB Deal
It was reported the Rays have signed 27-year old infielder Logan Davidson to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training.
The 2019 first round pick (29th overall) out of Clemson was once a top prospect in the Athletics system; however, despite possessing plus power potential from both side of the plate, Davidson never developed into a fearsome power hitter.
He is a solid defender all over the infield and was able to make his big league debut in 2025 with the Angels.
Astros, Rays discussed Shane Baz trade
According to Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Houston Astros are interested in obtaining Shane Baz, but also reported that a the Rays moving Baz was unlikely. Still the two sides have discussed a framework of a possible deal that would send Baz to Houston.
The Astros’ priority this offseason is adding starting pitching as stated by General Manager Dana Brown on Monday so their interest in Baz, and other Rays starters makes plenty of sense.
For their part, the Rays are reportedly ‘intrigued’ by Anderson Brito, one of Houston’s top pitching prospects. Brito, 21, reached High-A in 2025 and finished the year with a 3.28 ERA | 2.91 FIP, 31.1 K% & 13.4 BB% over 49.1 IP, and then got an additional showcase in front of the scouts at the Arizona Fall League.
Reds, Pirates both interested in Brandon Lowe
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds both pursued Kyle Schwarber before he signed a record breaking contract for a designated hitter with the Philadelphia Phillies. Since then, both teams have turned their attention to Brandon Lowe (among others).
The 31-year old Lowe is entering his final season of an eight-year deal he signed in 2019 and is coming off a 31 HR season in which he hit .256/.307/.477 over 553 plate appearances; however, despite the power surge, Lowe produced the lowest fWAR over his career over a full season mostly due to being one of the worst defensive second baseman in all of baseball.
Nevertheless, Lowe is a prolific slugger when healthy and would add some serious thump, providing an impact in the middle of the order at a reasonable cost.
Rays awarded #2 pick in 2026 draft
The Rays finished the year with the 10th worst record in the game and had the 7th best of being awarded the #1 pick in the draft. Fortune smiled upon the Rays, perhaps due to having Brett Phillips represent them, and they landed the 2nd overall selection in the 2026 draft.
Baseball America has already published a mock draft, tabbing the Rays to take Grady Emerson, a high school shortstop (what a shock) out of Texas.
Rays lose Alberto in Rule 5 Draft
The Rays nearly made it though the Rule 5 draft unscathed, but the Chicago White Sox decided to take 24-year old Alexander Alberto as a rare 2nd round selection. Alberto was originally signed in 2019 and has moved through the Rays system at a snail’s pace despite possessing an elite arsenal. The White Sox must keep Alberto on the active roster all season which may be a tall order for Alberto considering he only has 35 IP in High-A.
In the minor league phase, the Rays selected RHP Alvaro Mejias from the Red Sox; the 22-year old has battled injuries the past several years. Mejias recorded two outs during a lone Complex League outing in 2023 and hasn’t logged an appearance since.
The Rays would lose RHP Antonio Menendez to the Diamondbacks and C Raudelis Martinez over the next several rounds.
Rays, DBacks discussing Marte trade
The wildest news of the offseason has emerged with the Rays reportedly engaging with the Arizona Diamondbacks in trade talks for one of the best infielders in the game, Ketel Marte. According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the Rays have discussed a trade with Arizona that would send BOTH Shane Baz and Ryan Pepiot to the Diamondbacks in exchange for Ketel Marte.
The 32-year old Marte was produced a 6.3 fWAR season in 2019 and is averaging 5.1 fWAR over the past three years, hitting .283/.368/.519 and is averaging nearly 30 HR a season. Marte is also under team control through the 2030 season, with an AAV of $18.4M.
Takeaways
Although there is new ownership, it would appear the Rays are continuing to try and construct a team with an eye on next year and an eye towards the future while also being conscious of the balance in the bank.
The team is discussing a trade involving Brandon Lowe, the 2nd highest paid player on the team in 2026 behind Yandy Diaz, and yet actively discussing Ketel Marte with the Diamondbacks. Could that be to replace Brandon Lowe or perhaps to flip to another team as part of another deal?
Pitchers are demanding a high price in free agency but the Rays may have found a potential bargain in Steven Matz, especially if they’re able to successful transition the veteran southpaw back to the starting rotation, however, the Rays still need to find a pitcher that can cover more innings in 2026, especially if they are considering trading away Shane Baz, who finished a few outs shy of the team lead for IP in 2025.
There is still plenty of work to be done as the Rays still need to address a spot in the starting rotation and their seemingly bottomless pit of outfielders on the 40-man roster. We’ll see how Erik Neander navigates these next few months and how much different the team’s roster look once camp open in February.
For more on the Winter Meetings, check out the latest podcast from Rays Your Voice: Rays sign Mullins and Matz, is a big trade next?
