Michael Kay warns Yankees against any trade with ‘smarter’ Rays

Amid reports of the Yankees considering a trade with the Rays, long-time team voice Michael Kay has warned against any such action. The announcer believes that the Rays are smart enough to let any good player join their rivals through a trade.

“I would always be very wary of trading with the Tampa Bay Rays,” Michael Kay said, via Apple Podcasts. “They’re kind of pedestrian.”

According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on Tuesday, the Yankees have been involved in “multiple conversations this offseason” with Tampa Bay regarding Manuel Margot. The Yankees need to exercise caution when considering trade talks with the Rays, cautioned Michael Kay.

Michael Kay’s warning to Yankees

Any trade deal with the Rays, according to Michael Kay, is a situation that should be avoided at all costs. While speaking on ESPN New York’s “The Michael Kay Show,” he expressed his caution about trading with the Tampa Bay Rays, mentioning via Apple Podcasts that he would always be cautious and hesitant about such dealings.

Michael Kay highlighted the perception that the Rays tend to possess a higher level of intelligence compared to others in the league. He noted that if the Rays were considering trading a player to a division opponent, it might signify something unusual. The Yankees voice also pointed out that while the Yankees hadn’t completed the deal yet, there might be aspects of the player that they believe they could improve upon. He referenced the player’s statistics, describing them as somewhat average or unremarkable.

In the previous season, Margot, aged 28, participated in 99 games, achieving a batting line of .264/.310/.376, accompanied by 26 extra-base hits and nine stolen bases. Over the course of his career, he maintains a .255 batting average with a .385 OPS and has accumulated 41 defensive runs saved, ranking 11th among MLB outfielders with 5,500 innings played in the field.

Will the Yankees listen to Michael Kay?

The Dominican outfielder is set to receive $9.5 million in the upcoming season, along with a mutual option that incorporates a $2 million buyout in 2025. Margot is considered a temporary solution to fill in for Jasson Domínguez, identified as the Yankees’ second-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Yet, he doesn’t align with the criteria outlined by Brian Cashman in his extensive address during the General Manager Meetings in Arizona last week. Cashman informed reporters that the team required two outfielders due to Jasson Dominguez’s injury, which was a setback for them. He emphasized the need for both a center fielder and a left fielder, preferably left-handed, to fill those positions.

Although Margot has played in both left field and center field, it’s essential to note that he doesn’t bat left-handed. Additionally, Michael Kay’s cautionary guidance should be heeded with due consideration.

Michael Kay mentioned that he wasn’t implying any deception, but he highlighted the fact that the Rays had traded Blake Snell out of the league. He pointed out the peculiarity of the Rays potentially trading a player to a team within the same division, which struck him as unusual.

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