Tim Beckham was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on Monday for 18 year-old pitching prospect Tobias Myers. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

Cue Sarah McLaughlin’s I Will Remember You. The Tampa Bay Rays made one deadline deal Monday afternoon, trading INF Tim Beckham to Baltimore for RHP prospect Tobias Myers.

Beckham was Tampa Bay’s first overall pick in the 2008 draft, yet has struggled to live up to that billing. He, however, has provided nearly league-average offense in a bench depth role with the Rays over the past three seasons, slashing .245 BA/.299 OBP/.421 SLG/.720 OPS with 26 homers in 783 plate appearances.

In spite of his .259 BA/.314 OBP/.407 SLG/.721 OPS line this season — with 12 homers over 87 games and a 1.3 fWAR — base running and fielding gaffes have made him a liability. Beckham has committed 11 total errors between second base and shortstop, with just one defensive run saved on the infield.

With the addition of Lucas Duda this past week, as well as the logjam created by Brad Miller and Adeiny Hechavarria on the roster, Beckham was dealt. Taylor Featherston has been recalled from Triple-A Durham to fill the open spot on the roster. It fails to be seen if Daniel Robertson will take that spot once he is activated from the DL.

The New What Next

The Rays will start a four-game set with the Astros tonight in Houston. Alex Cobb (9-6, 3.46 ERA, 4.22 FIP) will take the mound for Tampa Bay, pitching opposite of Charlie Morton (8-4, 3.83 ERA, 3.95 FIP).

Cobb tossed seven strong innings against Baltimore on Wednesday, giving him nine consecutive starts of at least six innings. He is 5-1 with a 2.24 ERA in his last nine starts, compared to 4-5 with a 4.52 ERA through his first 12.

Morton is coming off, arguably, his best start this season, throwing seven scoreless innings against the Phillies to go with nine punch outs. He lost at the Trop in April, when the Rays put up five runs (all earned) on eight hits over five innings. Since that start, however, Houston has dropped just three times with Morton on the mound … although he has surrendered four runs or more in half of those 10 starts. Key Matchups: Tim Beckham (2-2, 3B), Corey Dickerson (5-12, HR, RBI), Lucas Duda (3-8, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB), Adeiny Hechavarria (5-17, 2 2B) Evan Longoria (2-6, 2 2B, 3 RBI), Logan Morrison (4-9, 2 2B, RBI, 2 BB), Trevor Plouffe (2-6), Wilson Ramos (5-11, RBI, BB), Steven Souza Jr. (2-3, 2B) 

You can read more about the series in our preview.

Rays 7/31/17 Starting Lineup

Dickerson LF
Duda 1B
Longoria 3B
Morrison DH
Souza RF
Miller 2B
Ramos C
Smith CF
Hechavarria SS
Cobb RHP

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