By: TJ Hartnett

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

As the trade deadline approaches, teams begin to look around at who might be available to help them down the stretch.

Some teams need offensive, most teams need pitching, some need both. So, they look to teams that are sellers and who they might be able to acquire. Starting pitching is highly sought after. Teams will be looking to part ways with prospects in exchange for bona fide starting pitchers on teams that aren’t contenders, like Chris Archer from the Rays. Except that Chris Archer isn’t going anywhere.

It’s been just a few weeks since it seemed liked the Rays were going to be unloading players to build towards a brighter future. Archer was at or near the top of many contenders’ lists. However, Tampa Bay has battled, fought and placed themselves in the hunt.

Tampa never relies on big name trades or signings and 2017 has been no different. They brought in pieces of the puzzle like Colby Rasmus and Wilson Ramos. Both of those guys opened the season the disabled list.

The Rays managed to hover around .500 for most of the season’s first half, while watching the big market teams duke it out at the top of the division, but then the breakout Yankees starting coming back to Earth and Tampa started rising in the standings.

While they haven’t managed to get even five games over .500, they’re constantly nipping at the heels of the wild card.

While hovering around a playoff spot is exciting, the second half could really bear fruit for Tampa.

They’ve lost center fielder Kevin Kermaier for three months but they added shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria and Ramos has finally come off the disable list and is already making a difference.

Former Brave Mallex Smith has been smashing the ball as a replacement for Kermaier so far and Archer has found back up with Jacob Faria, a 23-year-old right hander who has looked like an ace since arriving in early June.

On the season, the Rays have been buoyed by career-years from first baseman Logan Morrison, designated hitter/left fielder Corey Dickerson (also a member of my fantasy team, thanks Corey) and right fielder Steven Souza.

That trio has transformed the Rays offense. They only hit 117 home runs in 2014, the year before Souza’s acquisition and two years before Morrison and Dickerson were added. Already this year the Rays have hit 129 round-trippers, the third-best mark in the league.

Meanwhile, the Rays’ starting rotation, the source of so much optimism heading into their 94-loss season a year ago, has posted the second-best rotation ERA in the AL thus far.

Their 4.10 again trailing only the Astros, who boast a 3.80 mark. Unlike the Astros’ top-heavy quintet the Rays’ rotation has been more consistent from top to bottom.

Chris Archer, Alex Cobb and Jake Odorizzi all pulling their weight, while Faria has done an excellent job of replacing the injured Matt Andriese, who will be out until August with a stress reaction in his hip.

It is impressive the Rays have played with all their injuries. It hints at a potential second wave of reinforcements if Rasmus, who hit well in May before returning to the DL in June, Kiermaier, Andriese and second baseman Brad Miller, who started a Minor League rehab assignment on July 1, can return by mid-August.

The Rays are always underdogs. Even during their stretch from 2008 through 2013 when they were consistently making the playoffs, it was always somewhat of a surprise when they were good.

Perhaps that’s what makes them dangerous is they can come out of nowhere, at any time, and run the table on the rest of the American League; but the truth is that if you really look closely at this team, then their winning isn’t a shocker at all.  In fact, this team is just plain good. Try not to be surprised.