Reds could pounce on a Rays' offseason priority that suddenly makes a trade realistic

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jake Mangum | Mitchell Layton/GettyImagesThe Tampa Bay Rays operate much differently than the rest of the league. Relying on top-tier scouting, elite pitching development, and shrewd (sometimes even callous) trades, the Rays are almost always in contention year in and year out.

But Tampa Bay fell short this past season and will be looking to get back to the playoffs in 2026. One of their top priorities is to find a short-term solution for their starting rotation — something the Cincinnati Reds may be able to help with.

While Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall has downplayed the idea of trading from the organization's abundance of starting pitchers,…