Ketel Marte: keep a close eye on the Rays in this case

For a few weeks now, the idea of Ketel Marte being traded has been making the rounds. Last season wasn't an easy one for him in Arizona, and the rumor mill has been churning about Marte's attitude problems.

Because in reality, that's pretty much the factor that would explain why the Diamondbacks would want to trade a quality player who agreed to sign long-term in the desert. These guys don't come along very often.

The question now is, who's going to pick him up? The Red Sox have been linked to Marte's case, but there's a sense that they're not interested in paying the price to get him.

However, in the last 24 hours, a new club seems to be positioning itself to go after Marte: the Tampa Bay Rays.

We're talking about a club that picked up a ton of prospects yesterday… and traded Shane Baz as well as Brandon Lowe, its regular second baseman.

“This is not the culmination of the offseason, this is a portal to what might be coming down the line.”@jonmorosi thinks the Rays could be potential players for a Ketel Marte trade, after acquiring a haul of prospects this afternoon #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/iy3H4sWUQW

– MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 20, 2025

Yesterday's transactions, in effect, really open the door to seeing Marte take the Tampa Bay route. The Rays now have a ton of big prospects to give away (if that's what the Diamondbacks want), and they have a hole to fill at second base.

Especially since Marte's contract (which pays him just under $20 million a year until 2031) isn't particularly imposing. It would be a luxury for the Rays, without going overboard.

It's often difficult for the Rays to get their hands on big free agents, so Marte is a more logical target for them. And with a new owner who will want to prove he's serious, a deal like this would be the ideal way to do it.

In many people's eyes, it's only a matter of time.

Will the @RaysBaseball make a trade for a new second baseman after trading Brandon Lowe?

https://t.co/fGPbvbj8w4 pic.twitter.com/Pk54cGWaZ6

– MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) December 20, 2025

Adding Marte to a lineup that's already banking on Junior Caminero would provide a healthy dose of offensive punch for the Rays, which is usually a problem in the city. And there's no doubt that Marte would be an improvement over Lowe, who occupied the position last year.

Let's see what happens.

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