Following the directive from Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg in September, one of the offseason main objectives was that payroll absolutely had to be reduced for 2018. Going into the GM Meetings in November, the Rays used this time to gain insight as to what other teams were looking for in terms of a trade.
By the time the Winter Meetings arrived in early December, Tampa Bay Rays GM Erik Neander and Senior VP Chaim Bloom made it known that they would consider just about anything and everything, to reduce payroll which also would include trading pricey veterans if the right offer came about.