The Rays are trying to trade for an impact player of any kind. Pirates left fielder Jason Bay would qualify, but whether the two teams can agree on a trade remains to be seen.
The Pirates, heavily criticized within the industry for their four-player return for outfielder Xavier Nady and left-handed reliever Damaso Marte, want “an appropriate return for an All-Star caliber left fielder,” according to a source with knowledge of the club’s thinking.
The Rays are deep enough in prospects to fulfill the Pirates’ wishes, and Bay would appeal to them because of his affordability at $5.75 million this season and $7.5 million next season.
The Braves believed they were close to completing a 4-for-1 trade for Bay last week, sources say, but the talks collapsed, reportedly because of interference from Pirates’ ownership.
The Pirates, however, contend that the package from the Braves wasn’t strong enough for them to move forward at that time.
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