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D-Backs land Souza in 3-way deal with Rays, Yankees

Brian Blanco / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Tampa Bay Rays' spring sell-off is picking up, as they have dealt another one of their stars in a complicated three-way trade that also involves the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees.

As part of a five-player transaction that was announced Tuesday, the Rays traded outfielder Steven Souza Jr. to Arizona, which in turn sent infielder Brandon Drury to the Yankees. The Rays received two prospects - one each from Arizona and New York - while the D-Backs also landed a pitching prospect from the Yankees.

To Rays To Yankees To D-Backs
2B Nick Solak (from NYY) IF Brandon Drury (from ARI) OF Steven Souza Jr. (from TB)
LHP Anthony Banda (from ARI) RHP Taylor Widener (from NYY)

Tampa Bay will also receive two players to be named later from the Diamondbacks.

In Arizona, Souza will likely serve as the D-Backs' replacement in right field for J.D. Martinez, who reportedly signed with the Boston Red Sox on Monday. The 28-year-old Souza just completed the best season of his four-year career, hitting .239/.351/.459 (121 OPS+) with 30 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases.

Souza will make $3.55 million in 2018, and has another two years of arbitration eligibility remaining.

He's the latest Rays star to be traded during what's become an early-spring fire sale. Right-hander Jake Odorizzi was traded to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, the same day that the Rays also designated All-Star outfielder Corey Dickerson for assignment. Franchise cornerstone Evan Longoria was traded to San Francisco earlier in the offseason.

"(This is) really, really hard," Souza told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times about leaving the Rays. He added, "I'm really going to miss a lot of people."

Drury was the D-Backs' primary second baseman last season, but is a versatile player - he also has experience at third base and the outfield - and could help fill the Yankees' void at the hot corner. He also comes cheap, as he'll make a little over $553,000 this year and isn't eligible for arbitration until next winter.

The 25-year-old slashed .267/.317/.447 for Arizona last year, and also chipped in 13 homers and 37 doubles.

Solak, who heads to the Rays from the Yankees, was the Yankees' second-round pick out of Louisville in 2016. The 23-year-old is ranked as the fifth-best second-base prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, and hit .297/.384/.452 last year over 130 games split between High-A and Double-A.

Banda, 24, made his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks last year and posted a 5.96 ERA with 25 strikeouts and 10 walks in eight appearances (four starts). He spent the rest of 2017 at Triple-A Reno.

Widener was a 12th-round choice of the Yankees in 2016 out of the University of South Carolina. The 23-year-old spent all of last season at the High-A level, where he posted a 3.39 ERA, 1.148 WHIP, and 129 strikeouts in 27 starts.

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