The Tampa Bay Rays made headlines this week not only for their trade deadline moves but also for a potential deal that fell through regarding the sale of the team. According to a report by the New York Post, Rays owner Stuart Sternberg was in talks to sell the team to a group of local investors for a staggering $1.6 billion.
Sternberg, who purchased the Rays for $200 million back in 2004, was ready to offload some of his ownership stake to these investors. However, the deal hit a roadblock when the top investor, who was supposed to take on a 35 percent stake in the team, backed out of the transaction. Additionally, another entity worth $10 billion was also supposed to be involved in the sale but did not follow through.
The failed deal may have played a role in the Rays’ decision to trade away some key players before the deadline. Despite making the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, the team decided to shake things up by trading away several players, including outfielder Randy Arozarena, right-hander Zach Eflin, right-handed reliever Jason Adam, third baseman Isaac Paredes, and infielder/outfielder Amed Rosario.
The Rays’ recent performance on the field has also been less than stellar, as they fell to the Miami Marlins 6-2 on Wednesday, bringing their record to 55-53 on the season. They currently sit 9 1/2 games back of the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles and are also 4 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot.
It remains to be seen how the failed sale and the team’s recent trades will impact the Rays moving forward. With new ownership potentially on the horizon and a revamped roster, Tampa Bay fans will be watching closely to see how the team performs in the second half of the season.
In the meantime, the Rays will continue to compete in a tough AL East division as they look to secure a playoff spot and make a deep postseason run. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story as the MLB season progresses.
