RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesWith the Tampa Bay Rays holding strong atop the American League East, they opted to use the 2026 MLB trade deadline to add another key piece. The Rays acquired 27-year-old catcher Liam Hicks from the Miami Marlins in exchange for multiple prospects, as ESPN's Jeff Passan first reported. The deal comes after the Rays also acquired Freddy Peralta via trade from the New York Mets , bolstering their starting pitching staff.
Hicks is in the midst of an impressive breakout season, with 100 hits in 101 games thus far. He's posted marks of .265/.355/.391 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs. The addition of Hicks will give the Rays another weapon as they look to make a run to the World Series, and we're going to break down their new-look roster and lineup.
As Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported, the deal for Hicks will send infielder Brayden Taylor, shortstop Adrian Santana and RHP Jacob Kisting to the Marlins.
Rays updated roster and lineup after Liam Hicks trade
C: Liam Hicks Hunter Feduccia, Nick Fortes
1B: Jonathan Aranda Yandy Diaz, Ryan Vilade
2B: Richie Palacios Ben Williamson
3B: Junior Caminer o
SS: Taylor Walls Gavin Lux*
LF: Chandler Simpson
CF: Cedric Mullins Jonny DeLuca
RF: Victor Mesa
DH: Yandy Diaz
Pitchers:
SP: Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan*, Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez, Griffin Jax
RP: Garrett Cleavinger, Kevin Kelly, Cole Sulser*, Cam Booser, Manuel Rodriguez*
CL: Bryan Baker
*Currently on IL
The Rays have now made two significant moves ahead of the trade deadline . Hicks will immediately bolster the team's lineup with another strong hitter, while Peralta will step in as another starting pitcher, which is important not only for the postseason push but also given McClanahan's time on IL.
While Peralta is just 5-9 this season with a 4.99 ERA, the Rays are obviously hoping to see him revert closer to the form we saw throughout the start of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2025, Peralta posted a 17-6 record with a 2.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Tampa Bay Rays starting lineup after Liam Hicks trade
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