Here’s a new name for you, courtesy of ESPN’s Jayson Stark: Tampa Bay’s Jonny Gomes. I’ve always been a huge Gomes fan; he mashed .282/.372/.534 as a rookie in 2005. Then he had a ridiculous 11 HR April before succumbing to a shoulder injury. Gomes had offseason surgery and started off slow for the D-Rays, earning a demotion to Triple A.
Gomes hit five homers in June and another five this month, despite getting just 132 ABs over that span. The Devil Rays are finally starting to play him regularly, but that’s partially because of Carl Crawford’s injury. I would not be shocked to see Gomes offer similar production to Jermaine Dye for the balance of the season, and you can keep him for several years cheaply. He’s going to be the steal of the day if traded.
Stark says that the Rays are getting more calls on Elijah Dukes than Gomes, however.
