The trade deadline has come and gone, but the ripple effects are still being felt in the baseball world. One development that has caught the attention of fantasy baseball enthusiasts is the possible emergence of Luke Weaver as the closer for the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rays have been looking to strengthen their bullpen, and the recent trade of Wells to Tampa has opened up an opportunity for Weaver to take on the role. Wells was reportedly working his way into the closer's job in Ryan Helsley's absence, but now he's heading to Tampa where he will likely be part of the lineup trying to get the game to Bryan Baker to close it out.
Weaver, on the other hand, has been working his way into the Rays' rotation, but with the addition of Wells, he may have a chance to take on a more prominent role in the bullpen. If Baker starts to stumble, Weaver could be the next in line to take over as closer.
The Rays' situation is fluid, with Rico Garcia also in the mix for the closer's job. However, the name to keep an eye on could be Felix Bautista, the team's once-dominant closer who is working his way back from another serious injury.
Bautista is set to face hitters in a live bullpen session this week and could be back by September. If healthy, he has the stuff to take on the closer's role and could be a valuable asset for the Rays down the stretch.
The trade deadline may be over, but the battle for the closer's job in Tampa is far from settled. As the season wears on, it will be interesting to see how Weaver and Bautista fare in their quest for the top spot in the Rays' bullpen.
Source: CBS
