The Tampa Bay Rays are fighting tooth and nail to hold onto their AL East lead, sitting 3.5 games up on the New York Yankees as of Thursday morning. It is not just the usual suspects carrying them; it is their trade-deadline pickup, Liam Hicks, who is absolutely lights out. This guy’s breakout season and scorching second half since joining the team might just be the push the Rays need for an automatic bye into the ALDS.
A Steal So Big, It’s Practically Grand Larceny
You gotta be kidding me, right? Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter dropped a bomb, calling the trade for Hicks the “biggest” steal of last month’s deadline. Here is the kicker: the Rays, a team rarely willing to part with top prospect capital, sent a package of three players ranked outside their organization’s top ten list to the Marlins. That is it! For a 27-year-old catcher who hits from the left side and is having a monster year, they barely dipped into their top talent. It even sounds like the Yankees were sniffing around, but they were probably chasing a right-handed bat, and that mistake cost them. The Rays played it perfectly.
Hicks Is Absolutely Raking, And Not Just a Little Bit
This is not just a hot streak; this dude is on fire. Since joining the Rays, Hicks is slashing a ridiculous .328/.425/.522. That is a 163 OPS+! He is not just filling a spot; he has locked down the primary cleanup hitter role. We are talking about a player who, in just 23 games with the Rays, already has 13 RBIs and four extra-base hits, with three of those being dingers. And get this: the Rays have him under club control all the way through the 2030 season. This is shaping up to be a top-tier deadline deal in Tampa Bay history, not just the biggest steal from last month.
So, what does this all mean? The Rays are battling for that automatic bye to the ALDS, and Hicks’ bat is a huge reason why they are still out front. If this guy can help them snag a World Series trophy, Reuter is not wrong. This will not just be the steal of the deadline, it will go down as the best trade in the franchise’s history. Talk about high stakes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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