The Tampa Bay Rays have made a move that makes it a little easier for them to trade second baseman Ben Zobrist. MLB.com's Adam Berry reports that the Rays have agreed to terms with costless agent second baseman/shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera for 2015. Berry says that the contract is for one year and $8 million and is pending a physical. The Rays have not confirmed the report as of Tuesday afternoon.

Cabrera is CBS Sports.com's #13 costless agent position player and third-ranked shortstop. He split 2014 with the Cleveland Indians and Washington Nationals, combining for offensive totals of .241/.307/.387, 14 HR, 61 RBI, and 10 SB in 146 games. He played mostly shortstop in his 7+ years with Cleveland, but he patrolled second base for Washington in the final two months of the 2014 season following a July 31 deadline deal. He was 3 for 15 with 1 HR and 2 RBI in the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants. 

In his eight-year career, Cabrera has hit .268/.330/.409 with 87 HR and 451 RBI. He has made two American League All-Star teams and won the 2011 Silver Slugger award among A.L. shortstops (25 HR, 92 RBI). He is also well-known for his seemingly nightly highlight-reel plays.

With this new contract, Cabrera, age 29, will make $2 million less than he did in 2014. The switch-hitter will likely play second base as the Rays have Yunel Escobar at shortstop.

Signing Cabrera to play second will make it much easier for the Rays to trade Zobrist, a switch hitter who can play many positions and typically has more power than does Cabrera. In fact, CBS Sports.com's Jon Heyman notes that the Cabrera signing makes it very likely that the Rays will move Zobrist.

ben zobrist seems very likely to go somewhere. since he plays just about everywhere, could go anywhere.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 30, 2014

Our own Josh Beisiada recently described the San Francisco Giants' interest in acquiring Zobrist, who is entering the final year of his contract at $7.5 million. Zobrist hit .272/.354/.395 with 10 HR, 52 RBI, and 5.0 WAR in 146 games for the Rays in 2014. He will become a costless agent after next season.

The Rays ended 2014 with a surprising and disappointing 77-85 record and fourth-place finish in the American League Eastern division, 19 games behind the division-winning the Baltimore Orioles.