5 teams that should make an offer for Chris Archer

Chris Archer's had a rough 2016 season. He hasn't looked like the ace and Cy Young favorite who was supposed to lead the Tampa Bay Rays' solid pitching staff back to the postseason, and his velocity's down just a hair since his excellent 2015.

That said, he's still just 27 years old, finished fifth in Cy Young voting last year, and is under team control through 2019 - meaning no matter how much he struggles, he's still the cost-conscious Rays' most valuable trade chip this summer. The Rays have said they won't trade him unless they're "overwhelmed," but several teams reportedly had scouts watching him on Friday, hinting they may at least try.

Here are five teams who should make an overwhelming offer to the Rays for Archer:

Los Angeles Dodgers

To Dodgers: Archer, OF Brandon Guyer
To Rays: P Jose De Leon, 1B/OF Cody Bellinger, OF Trayce Thompson, P Chase De Jong

Andrew Friedman brought Archer to Tampa, and now has interest in a reunion at Dodger Stadium - a perfect park for Archer to establish himself as Clayton Kershaw's No. 2 man. Losing De Leon, their No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline - behind only Julio Urias - and their No. 5 in Bellinger will hurt, but the Dodgers' deep farm system can absorb those blows. The Rays will want the control of young Thompson, who's impressed for the Dodgers this year, but getting Guyer to serve as the lefty-masher in a platoon with Joc Pederson could help soften that blow.

Boston Red Sox

To Red Sox: Archer, P Erasmo Ramirez
To Rays: 2B Yoan Moncada, IF/OF Brock Holt, SS Deven Marrero, OF Kyri Washington, P Clay Buchholz

What, you thought the Rays would just hand Archer to their bitter division rival? The Rays will make Dave Dombrowski pay big, almost surely demanding two top-10 prospects in Moncada and Marrero - both of whom are currently blocked in the infield - plus a useful piece of the big-league team in Holt and another lower-level prospect. As for Buchholz, well, somebody has to start for the Rays in August and September. The cost will hurt, but it's not like Archer's a rental player - and if he returns to his old self, Boston would suddenly own a pretty good rotation.

Chicago Cubs

To Cubs: Archer, P Xavier Cedeno
To Rays: OF Jorge Soler, P Duane Underwood, 3B Jeimer Candelario, P Clayton Richard, OF Rashad Crawford

It's piling on, but why not. Archer would return to the organization that sent him to the Rays as a prospect while being reunited with manager Joe Maddon, and is a proven piece for a team that's going to win now and in the future. Trading Soler would be tough but a bevy of top outfield prospects behind him - plus Kyle Schwarber - would cushion that blow. Underwood is a top pitching prospect, but the Cubs' rotation is now full, while Candelario, though promising, is blocked by Kris Bryant. Cedeno would instantly improve the Cubs' bullpen from the left side.

Texas Rangers

To Texas: Archer, Erasmo Ramirez
To Rays: OF/3B Joey Gallo, 2B Rougned Odor, P Dillon Tate, OF Delino DeShields Jr.

Archer slots in behind Cole Hamels, Yu Darvish, and Martin Perez in an excellent rotation, taking pressure off him to perform, while Ramirez boosts a beleaguered bullpen. The Rangers will choose to deal Gallo over Jurickson Profar - one of them has to be involved - but to make the Rays bite, they'll surprisingly include Odor after contract talks stalled this week. That finally opens a permanent spot at second for the longtime sensation Profar, who's dazzled with the bat in his return to health. Tate's a good young arm, and DeShields Jr. is in Triple-A but has big-league experience.

Pittsburgh Pirates

To Pittsburgh: Archer
To Rays: P Jeff Locke, C Reese McGuire, P Tyler Glasnow, P Yeudy Garcia

The Pirates are desperate for starting pitching behind Gerrit Cole - so desperate that they'll offer up Glasnow to nab three-plus years of Archer and hope pitcher whisperer Ray Searage can work his magic. Besides Glasnow, the Rays get what they hope is finally the answer at catcher in McGuire, a struggling former All-Star with two more years of control in Locke, and an interesting Single-A arm in Garcia. That's a lot to give up, but with the Pirates hanging on in the wild-card race despite playing in a division that was decided on Opening Day, it's worth the risk.