In swapping Logan Forsythe for Jose De Leon, the Rays exacerbated their weakness against left handed pitchers, making it imperative for the team to add another righty bat who can mash lefties, should the team truly want to be competitive in 2017.
The bright side is that the move pushed the team’s projected payroll under $60 million enabling them to competitively pursue a couple of free agents or accommodate another trade, and it’s not out of the question for them to free up another $4.2 million if they elect to move Alex Cobb.
The presence of the versatile Brad Miller who is capable of shifting to second base should allow Erik Neander to focus his attention on adding a 1B/DH type of player with their market value cratering rather than shell out money for someone like Chase Utley.