Rays willing to part with cornerstones

THE RAYS are listening to offers for ace Chris Archer, closer Alex Colome and cornerstone third baseman Evan Longoria.

Colome appears the most likely to be moved, with the Cardinals and, perhaps, the Mariners among the most likely suitors.

Including two option years, Archer is owed $33.75 million over the next four years. Tampa Bay is listening, but would have to be blown away. As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic mentioned, the Brewers are deep in prospects and have as a key executive Matt Arnold, who previously had been the Rays’ player personnel head. In the past, the Rays have resisted marketing Longoria, who they signed not once, but twice to long-term contracts. He is owed $86 million over five years, not an exorbitant sum. But he is 32 and coming off his worst season (20 homers and a .737 OPS) and teams have to be concerned that he is beginning a steady decline phase.

Despite obtaining Justin Verlander on Aug. 31 and winning the World Series, the Astros still are looking at the top of the free-agent starter market with Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish. They are curious if the prices do not go where initially expected that there might be an opportunity to seize. And because

Dallas Keuchel is a free agent after the 2018 season, Houston could look to add a quality starter now to team with Verlander, Keuchel and Lance

McCullers, and have to soften the blow if Keuchel leaves following the season.