Yankees potential trade target: Isaac Paredes

Not much has gone right for the Rays in 2024, but Isaac Paredes is at the top of the fold when it comes to players meeting expectations in Tampa. It’s exactly that which makes him one of the more appealing offensive options out there at the MLB Trade Deadline.

Skepticism is natural when contemplating trades inside the division, but for the most part, if a deal is to be made, all parties will pursue it. The 2024 Yankees are a clear example of that, with Alex Verdugo on the roster. Hovering near .500, the Rays face a tough challenge to get back in the hunt and are most likely planning for 2025. Regardless if that ends up being the case or not, Tampa Bay is usually unafraid of aggressive moves, even if it means parting with established talent.

While their offense as a whole has been one of the worst in the American League, the Rays have some intriguing assets to shop, and chief among them is probably Isaac Paredes, at least in the context of 2024 production.

As it so often happens, Paredes is another case of a player maximizing his skill set in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, currently leading the team in:

• HR (15)
• RBI (50)
• OPS (.829)

The poster child for pulled fly-balls, Paredes earns all of his money driving the ball to left field. Since moving over to the Rays, the third-baseman has 66 homers and every single one of them has gone out to left.

It’s important to talk about this particular aspect of Paredes game because it helps clear up some things. For instance, it’s been a common approach by fans, analysts, and whatnot, to compare wOBA and xwOBA to figure out underachievers and overachievers in any given year. xwOBA might be irrelevant for Paredes because it doesn’t factor in batted-ball direction, and so it severely underestimates the hitter’s ability to get the most out of his batted-ball events.

Paredes doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard, his bat speed is nothing to write home about, and he just doesn’t have many of the physical traits that hitters of his caliber often possess. Despite all of that, you’re looking at a 2024 All-Star who hit 30 homers last season.

There might be some doubts about his ability to carry this level of performance in another organization, but with nearly 350 games in a Rays uniform, Paredes has proven his is a sustainable skill set. There is no reason to think he wouldn’t be able to continue this production following a trade.

Recent reports have suggested that Paredes is one of the names receiving the most interest on the Rays. Unlike other pieces on the market, he would be a long-term addition, as the third baseman is controllable through the 2027 season. Paredes would fetch a pretty hefty price because of his combination of performance and controllability.

Many other teams in the Rays' position would probably be more hesitant to discuss a controllable player like Paredes, particularly as this looks more like a retooling period than a full teardown period for Tampa. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be the first time nor the last Tampa sells high on a player with multiple years of control.

It should be noted that the Rays and Yankees have a spotty trade history, and the division rivals don’t typically negotiate with each other. They did, however, tag-team with the Marlins on a three-way deal involving Ben Rortvedt and Jon Berti just before Opening Day, so maybe there’s an avenue after all.

Looking at how he would fit on the Yankees roster, Paredes would provide extra versatility not only for the role he’d fill but as far as other moves the team could make. Primarily a third baseman, Paredes has also spent a decent chunk of time at first in 2022 and 2023, especially. Ben Rice is doing quite well, but ideally the Yankees would sure up the lineup with multiple bats.

Paredes’ versatility makes him a great target, providing crucial production while also not ruling out further additions at other spots. As unlikely as an AL-East trade may seem, the Rays are always willing to get creative, which means the Yankees should ask about Paredes.