MLB Insider Thinks Rays Would Give up Top-100 Prospect for Jose Abreu

Teams across baseball are becoming more and more reluctant to give up quality assets to improve their team, though that's not true for every club. Some are willing to sacrifice bits of their future in order to chase a ring right now.

One example of this can be seen in the reports that the Tampa Bay Rays may be willing to include a top 100 prospect for Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu.

I asked @BNightengale if the #WhiteSox could get a top 100 prospect for Jose Abreu:
“I think Tampa Bay would give up a top 100 prospect for him, I do. They need a bat desperately and they want him bad.”@670TheScore @RDCSports
— Joe Ostrowski (@JoeO670) July 30, 2019

It would be a bold move for the Rays, especially considering Abreu is set to enter free agency at the end of the season. He's currently in Chicago on a one-year deal worth $16 million.

Abreu has been an elite offensive force throughout his career. This year, the three-time All-Star has 22 home runs, 72 RBI and a .266/.304/.480 slash line. While his on-base percentage is a career worst, his slugging numbers remain elite.

Here’s the full audio clip of @BNightengale telling me that he believes the #WhiteSox could get a top 100 prospect for Abreu, but he isn’t available and the Sox will do everything possible to sign him to a two-year contract. @670TheScore pic.twitter.com/CJjtoGpBeY
— Joe Ostrowski (@JoeO670) July 30, 2019

Ostrowski reports that the White Sox are desperate to keep Abreu, aiming to ink him to a two-year deal at the season's end, so they may want to hold onto their first baseman.

The Rays have been deploying Ji-Man Choi, Travis d'Arnaud and Nate Lowe at first-base this year with mixed results. More troubling, however, there is no current option that brings certain stability at the position like Abreu possesses.

Tampa has one of the best farm systems in the league, so trading away a top prospect may not be as big of a hit to the organization as it would be for other organizations. With several prospects ranked within baseball's top 100, parting ways with one is certainly feasible.