Rays linked to trade for Twins' .949 OPS catcher to steal Yankees' top deadline target

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Rays linked to trade for Twins' .949 OPS catcher to steal Yankees' top deadline target originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Tampa Bay Rays are likely to be a buyer come the 2026 MLB trade deadline on August 3, and if they are buying, the catcher position is one to monitor.

This team has struggled to find a good catcher, and fortunately, there's one option who would make a ton of sense for the Rays to acquire.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller linked the Rays to a trade for Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers. He has a .949 OPS and would be a great pickup. But, he also is the player the New York Yankees have been most often linked to this season, and the Rays could swipe him from New York this summer.

Rays linked to trade for Ryan Jeffers to steal Yankees' top trade target​

"Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers is another good option here," Miller writes. "... And with a salary ($6.7M) that is barely half of what Arraez and Ward are making, he might be No. 1 on Tampa Bay's board."

Jeffers is a veteran catcher rental on a one-year, $6.7 million contract this season. He's not too expensive monetarily, and as a catcher coming off injury, he might not even cost that much to acquire in a deal.

Since the Rays could use more catcher help. Jeffers would make a ton of sense as a trade target for this team. If they added him, the Rays would be getting one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball.

MORE: Yankees want to trade for Twins’ Ryan Jeffers by MLB deadline

But, they would also be blocking the Yankees from landing the one player they've been linked to more frequently than any other this season.

He is likely the best catcher who could be dealt this summer, and with both top contenders in the AL East vying for catcher help, the Rays would do well to not only add a good player in Jeffers but steal him from the Yankees as well.

This would be a win-win trade for the Rays, as they'd be improving their own roster, while also stopping the Yankees from improving theirs.

With how much the rival Yankees want Jeffers, it would be a very fun move for the Rays to swipe him in a trade with the Twins this season. Plus, he'd be exactly the kind of offensive help at the catcher spot this team needs. It might not get better than that.

More MLB news:​

• Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani might not be able to pitch during MLB All-Star Game
• Phillies reportedly turn down Bryce Harper's outfield offer to help at trade deadline
• Giants are ‘hopeful ‘ they can trade Matt Chapman by MLB deadline
• Giants are 'pessimistic' they can trade Rafael Devers or Willy Adames
• Twins' Byron Buxton trade update is bad news for Phillies, Braves

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