All articles tagged with #rays
Rays CEO Ken Babby says Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Commission are poised to approve a $2.3 billion ballpark deal, after concessions that increase the Rays’ share and annual rent; the county would own the stadium, which is tied to a large private mixed-use district funded by private investment, with a 2029 opening and a bond-validation process to come.
The Tampa Bay Rays have reached a near-final financing agreement with Tampa and Hillsborough County for a new stadium, with final documents due next week and votes anticipated on Aug. 27 (city) and Aug. 28 (county). The package revises the prior plan by adjusting the city’s share, maintains a $976 million public contribution, and contemplates an $80 million city loan plus a possible $100 million Rays loan to be repaid from future property tax revenues tied to a surrounding mixed-use development; several commissioners and council members have raised questions, signaling a tight, closely watched approval process and potential last-minute changes.
Two Hillsborough County commissioners who previously backed the Rays stadium deal now question it, potentially upending the pact as the financing structure shifts: the city would lend $80 million and the Rays would borrow about $100 million, to be repaid with property‑tax revenues from a surrounding mixed‑use development. Commissioner Chris Boles says there’s no guaranteed county revenue and seeks written assurances on the development piece, while Commissioner Christine Miller questions the city’s share and warns of possible exposure (up to $380 million) after a related land‑use change stalled. With votes looming next week, the changing terms and political dynamics add new uncertainty to the deal.
The Rays named AECOM Hunt/Turner to build a $2.3 billion stadium on Hillsborough College campus, with construction potentially starting this fall and a 2029 opening target, pending city and county financing approvals. AECOM Hunt, which remodeled Tropicana Field, led a four-bid process with Mortenson Beck finishing second. The project faces a tight 31-month timeline that hinges on finalized financing, approvals, weather, and supply-chain considerations, and the final design and budget are not yet locked in, though an indoor-outdoor, glass-walled concept remains the goal.
In Rotoworld’s MLB Power Rankings (Aug. 10, 2026), the Milwaukee Brewers reclaim the top spot after a hot run, the Tampa Bay Rays rise to No. 2 behind a six-game win streak and a big AL East lead, and the Los Angeles Dodgers fall from No. 1 to No. 3 amid a slump and bullpen worries as Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell return from injuries; the Braves, Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Phillies, and White Sox round out the top 10 as the playoff race tightens.
The Tampa Bay Rays placed pitcher Griffin Jax on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 6) with elbow discomfort and promoted Michael Grove from Triple-A to take his roster spot. The injury appears non-ligament-related, with Jax set for further medical evaluation. Tampa Bay already has Shane McLanahan on the IL, leaving the rotation thin and potentially prompting bullpen games or bulk outings from Steven Matz or Casey Legumina while Jax recovers.
The Rays will acquire catcher Liam Hicks from the Marlins in a three-prospect deal that includes Brayden Taylor, Adrian Santana and Jacob Kisting, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Tampa Bay is expected to demote lefty-hitting catcher Hunter Feduccia and keep Nick Fortes as Hicks’ backup, while the Marlins could recall Agustín Ramírez to DH behind Joe Mack. Hicks, a 27-year-old left-handed hitter, is slashing .283/.364/.434 with 14 homers and 62 RBI in 405 plate appearances this season, providing the Rays with added catching depth.
The Tampa Bay Rays acquire catcher Liam Hicks from the Miami Marlins for a three-prospect package—Adrian Santana, Brayden Taylor, and Jacob Kisting—boosting the Rays with a bat-first backstop who has 14 homers this season but average defense. In exchange, Miami picks up three upside prospects: Santana, a defensive-minded shortstop with growing power; Taylor, a left-handed-hitting third-base prospect showing improved numbers; and Kisting, a right-handed pitcher with back-end starter upside.
Freddy Peralta publicly thanked Mets fans after being traded to the Rays, admitting his Mets tenure didn’t go as hoped. He posted a gracious message despite disappointing performance (4.99 ERA, 1.478 WHIP) that represented career-worst numbers for a full season, as Tampa Bay hopes to revive his star-level form.
The Rays acquired catcher Liam Hicks from the Marlins for three minor leaguers (Brayden Taylor, Adrian Santana, Jacob Kisting) to upgrade their catching, likely replacing Hunter Feduccia in a Fortes-Hicks platoon. The move comes as Tampa Bay added Freddy Peralta and optioned rookie reliever Alex Cook, while designating Craig Kimbrel for assignment, with reports of ongoing talks for a reliever, a second baseman and/or a bat‑first outfielder before the 6 p.m. deadline. Hicks is hitting .282 with 14 homers and 62 RBIs in 101 games this season.
The Miami Marlins traded catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks to the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-player package that also sends Brayden Taylor to Miami, with Adrian Santana and Jacob Kisting rounding out the return. Hicks, 27, has posted a .282/.363/.432 line with 14 homers in 409 plate appearances and is viewed as a potential long-term catching solution for Tampa Bay, a team that has shuffled at the position. The Rays’ catching duties have been filled by Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia, with Fortes producing solid numbers and Feduccia offering less offense. The move gives Tampa a potential offensive upgrade behind the plate while Miami retools its depth.
The Rays acquired Freddy Peralta from the Mets with a modest prospect package instead of pursuing Tarik Skubal the Dodgers reportedly could have, a choice explained by Tampa Bay's need to protect its farm system and tighter finances. The move strengthens the rotation now (helping with McClanahan on the IL) while keeping their long-term window intact, reflecting a sustainable, needle-threading strategy rather than big-name, high-cost deals, a pattern the Rays have followed for years.
The Rays acquire right-hander Freddy Peralta from the Mets for three minor leaguers—Émilien Pitre, Aidan Smith, and Gary Gill Hill—as a buy-low move after Peralta’s command issues this season. Tampa Bay hopes to fix him using their track record with pitchers, while New York nets a solid trio of prospects, headlined by Pitre’s strong Double-A numbers though Smith has struggled and Hill is a touch-projectable arm. Overall, it’s a balanced two-month swap: a possible rebound starter for the Rays and a promising, if not elite, prospect group for the Mets.
The Rays acquired veteran right-hander Freddy Peralta from the Mets for three minor-leaguers—Aidan Smith, Emilien Pitre and Gary Gill Hill—to shore up a rotation that needs depth with Shane McClanahan on the IL. Peralta, 30, is a two-time All-Star who went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA for Milwaukee in 2025, but has struggled this year (5-9, 4.99 ERA in 22 Mets starts). He’s under the final year of an $8 million extension and will be a free agent after the season. The move comes as Tampa Bay, with the AL’s best record, eyes further upgrades before the Monday deadline, and Fraley was moved to the 60-day injured list to clear a 40-man spot for Peralta; a debut could come as soon as Tuesday in Denver. The Mets acquired Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat for Peralta in January.
Freddy Peralta was scratched from a Mets start as interest in him heats up for the MLB trade deadline. The Cubs and Rays are among teams linked to Peralta, with others like Clay Holmes, Reid Detmers, José Soriano, Casey Mize, Brady Singer, Foster Griffin and Trevor Rogers also in circulation; teams believe they can extract more from him than the Mets have. The Cubs’ defense is noted as having helped David Peterson in the past as part of this market backdrop.