The Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly shopping David Price in hopes of acquiring a prospect that could play a major role for the club moving forward.
The Rays have been nothing but disappointment this season as they are currently at the cellar of the American League East standings with a measly 31-48 record, which is the reason why the club is now willing to give up Price.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported that the Rays will eventually move their ace pitcher, who is 5-7 with 3.81 ERA in 16 starts this season, before the MLB trade deadline on July 31.
"It has become increasingly obvious that the Rays likely - if not absolutely, positively - are going to trade Price over the next 51/2 weeks until the July 31 deadline. They can't afford to keep him long term. They're not going to win with him this year," Topkin wrote.
Price, who has been mentioned several times in trade rumors during the offseason, is also growing frustrated over the team's struggles this season, and there was an incident wherein he said that the Rays are the worst team in baseball at this point.
"Price's frustration with the Rays' overall situation - the team unexpectedly losing so much, the again constant trade speculation, his reluctantly accepting the reality that he's likely going to leave a place he truly loves - has become obvious daily," Topkin wrote.
With Price now available on the trade front, most league executives are convinced that the Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to land the 28-year-old pitcher. Price might also be interested in moving to the Dodgers, who are currently second in the National League West standings with their 42-36 record.
Aside from the Dodgers, MLB Daily Dish also named the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, and the Cleveland Indians as potential destinations.
The New York Yankees are also in need of another starter after being hit by a multitude of injuries, but sources indicated that the Rays are not planning to trade Price to an AL East rival and they prefer sending him to a National League team.
