Jerry Crasnick reported this nugget earlier:
The Rays have expressed some interest in Cust, but probably can't make a move until they trade Pat Burrell.
You can sum this interest up in two points:
1) Due diligence.
2) Making the Cubs nervous.
Cust is defenseless, slow, and on the wrong side of 30 for someone with old player skills. For whatever reason, his power absolutely faded in 2009 and combined with an increase in price tag and a number of similar options, the A's felt Cust was no longer worthy of tendering arbitration. All told, he's not a horrible option at DH if the Rays have a non-Cubs taker for Burrell and simply dump the one year left on the contract. Cust is certainly going to make fewer dollars in 2010 and barring a collapse should be an above average hitter.