With Asdrubal Cabrera now a free agent and unlikely to re-sign with the Rays, it looked like Tim Beckham might finally have a shot to win the shortstop job, something he was drafted to do when the Rays used the first pick of the draft on him seven years ago.
But those hopes took a big hit on Thursday.
That’s when the Rays announced a 6-player trade, sending Nate Karns, CJ Riefenhauser, and Boog Powell to the Seattle Mariners. The key player the Rays’ received in return was Mike Miller.
Miller is a natural shortstop.