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In need of a primary second basemen and with several left handed hitting outfielders on the roster, the Rays have traded from a position of depth by dealing OF Josh Lowe to the Los Angeles Angels in a three team deal, receiving back 2B Gavin Lux from the Cincinnati Reds and prospect RHP Chris Clark from the Angels. To complete the deal, the Angels will send starter Brock Burke to the Reds.
In focus for the Rays is the swap of Lowe for Lux, an interesting challenge trade for both players who have underperformed in their late 20’s. Both are first round picks from the 2016 draft (13th and 20th overall, respectively) and both have faced significant injury setbacks following a breakout season.
Lowe burst onto the scene in 2023 batting a 130 wRC+ in a 3.4 WAR season, but missed more than 100 games across 2024 and 2025, and struggled to get his swing back due to various oblique injuries. Lowe ends his Rays career with 43 HR and 79 SB with a 101 wRC+ over 403 games.
Lux had his moment in 2022 with a 113 wRC+ campaign in a 2.7 WAR season for the Dodgers and was expected to take over at short stop in 2023 before tearing his ACL in Spring Training. Lux returned with 98 wRC+ season in 2024 as the primary second baseman, earing a ring with the Dodgers before being traded for OF prospect Mike Sirota and a competitive balance pick in January 2025.
In 2025, Lux exhibited a fairly extreme platoon split with the bat: 111 wRC+ against righties, 33 wRC+ against southpaws. His acquisition bumps Brett Wisely (acquired Monday) out of the projected @B platoon, and potentially off of the 26-man roster.
The Reds curiously deployed Lux in left field more than anywhere else in the field in his one season in Cincinnati, but based on the player’s abilities and the needs of the Rays roster, expect Gavin Lux to be dedicated to the second base role. 2026 will be Lux’s final year of his rookie contract, making just over $5 million.
The prospect coming to the Rays is Harvard RHP Chris Clark, who the Angels demoted from High-A to Low-A to start the 2025 season as he sought development of his third pitch, and he did well last season to soak up nearly 150 innings. He’s a whippy 6’4” side arm sinker/slider pitcher with a high elbow in his delivery. He has never been ranked in the Angels system, and is unlikely to be ranked for the Rays organization this offseason.