Rays trade Liberatore to Cards, return unknown

[JDBrewCrew]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

·

2m

Well-regarded pitching prospect Matt Liberatore has been traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the St. Louis Cardinals, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. It's part of a trade expected to send major league pieces back to Tampa Bay, which has been searching for outfield bats.

 

 

Sam Dykstra

@SamDykstraMiLB

This has to be something pretty big. At No. 41 overall, Liberatore would become the biggest prospect traded this offseason. Would slide in behind Carlson and Gorman in the #STLCards system for now.

[JDBrewCrew]

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

·

1m

Sources telling me same. Return not known, but should be significant. Liberatore was 16th overall pick out of Mountain Ridge (Az.) H.S. in 2018 draft.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Looking at the Cardinals roster, hard to see where this works. They have a bunch of overpaid guys that brings negative value like Fowler and Carpenter. Jose Martinez maybe? But he kinda sucks too. He is 31 and can't play defense.

[JDBrewCrew]

Arenado to St Louis in a 3 way?

[reillymcshane]

This could be pretty major. Liberatore is a nice prospect.

[Manty Brewer Fan]

Maybe Tyler O'Neil and something?

[Luke99]

guessing Edman and ONeil..that might be heavy though from the Cards

[reillymcshane]

Cardinals and Rays fans must be peeing their pants right now...

[A Swing and A Drive]

I’ll guess Harrison Bader or Tyler Oneil, Edman and some pitching prospects.

[wibadgers23]

This seems like an awfully odd and random trade for a contending Cardinals team. Wonder if they are just trying to accumulate prospects to make a huge splash later (Arenado)?

[RollieTime]

I wish we could bring in an arm like Liberatore’s into our system.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Guessing the return is O'Neill or Bader ... or both.

[Madhawk23]

This does seem odd. It's not like the Cards have a ton of OF's to give up that would have value here, do they? I know they are high on that Carlson kid, so I guess he takes a spot out there next year. Fowler would have very little value to the Rays. So, I guess that would probably mean either O'Neill or Bader? Maybe Edman like others have suggested, but isn't he more of an IF by trade?

 

Let's hope this isn't being done to stockpile prospects for an Arenado trade. That would be a very Cardinal type move.

[brooks_quichenick]

Guessing Jose Martinez or O'Neill, maybe both. Seems weird

[Brewcrewin07]

I'm guessing it's to try to acquire Arenado..wouldn't that just be great?? NOT

[sveumrules]

I'm guessing it's to try to acquire Arenado..wouldn't that just be great?? NOT

 

It could be, or it couldn't be.

 

If Arenado hits closer to his career numbers outside of Coors, then the Cardinals gave up serious value for a glove first 3B making 200+ million.

 

If Arenado has no problem leaving Coors (guys like Larry Walker & Matt Holliday hit fine post Colorado), then he likely opts out & STL gave up serious value for two years of an All Star 3B at market rates.

[brewcrewdue80]

What if it was StL's SP top prospect Alex Reyes that went down to TJ costing the team what? 1.5yrs of control? 2years it looks like. With the down time and high ceiling Reyes possessed prior. Tampa may be getting a future TOR pitcher that won't be expensive in Arb to trade away the final year of control. You might also look at with the injury history that Tampa seeing good results in 2020 could sign a team friendly extension on Reyes. Just a thought. Throw another idea out there.

[MadThinker88]

Thought I saw a report that its 3 assets for 3 assets.

Both competitive balance picks are involved (moves up TB while Cards move back 30 or so spots)...

[reillymcshane]

Passan says no Harrison Bader and Lane Thomas involved.

 

So, thus far:

 

St. Louis gets:

 

Liberatore

Competitive Balance Round B Pick

Unknown asset

 

Rays get:

 

Competitive Balance Round A Pick

Unknown asset

Unknown asset

 

As noted above, the Competitive Balance swap mean the Rays will move up roughly 30 spots - and the Cards will drop a corresponding number.

[brewtank34]

Hey, but we got Logan Morrison.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Appears the return is Martinez and Randy Arozarina. That is interesting. Arozarina tore up AAA last year. Martinez is junk though.

[Eye Black]

From Passan...

 

The St. Louis Cardinals are trading OF Jose Martinez, OF Randy Arozarena and a Compensation A pick (after 1st round) to the Tampa Bay Rays for LHP prospect Matt Liberatore, a low-level catching prospect and Compensation B pick (post-2nd), sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.

[Eye Black]

This seems like a very weak return for the Rays who gave up one of the top 50 prospects in baseball. Obviously they know their own players better than anyone, but it’s not hard to imagine them regretting this trade down the road.

[MadThinker88]

This seems like a very weak return for the Rays to give up one of the top 50 prospects in baseball.

 

Thought I heard something that this coming draft has some better talent deeper & less top end talent. Consider the impact of moving up 30 spots in THIS draft & the extra signing bonus money for TB..

 

Additionally perhaps TB also has some concerns about Liberatore & they desired to bail on him while they still could...

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

This seems like a very weak return for the Rays who gave up one of the top 50 prospects in baseball. Obviously they know their own players better than anyone, but it’s not hard to imagine them regretting this trade down the road.

 

Don't sleep on Arozarina, though. All he's done since getting into affiliated ball is hit. He's also major league ready. I think he's a stud. Glad to see him out of the NL Central.