The Rays announced today that they have signed veteran outfielder Grady Sizemore to a minor league contract (h/t: Matt Stein of Sports Talk Florida, on Twitter). Sizemore, who was recently released by the Phillies, will report to the team’s facility in Port Charlotte to begin workouts.
Sizemore, a CAA client, struggled through 104 plate appearances with the Phillies this season, hitting just .245/.288/.296. Back and knee injuries have taken their toll on what at one point was one of the most promising careers in baseball. From 2005-09, Sizemore hit .276/.368/.488 and averaged 28 homers and 28 steals per 162 games. Paired with outstanding value both in center field and on the basepaths, he was one of the game’s brightest young stars.
Now, he’ll hope to rejuvenate his career with the Rays, though for the time being, it’s tough to see a way for him to crack the 25-man roster. David DeJesus, Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza and Brandon Guyer are the team’s big league outfield options, and each is performing relatively well on the year. Additionally, Sizemore’s injury history likely limits him to the outfield corners at this point, further complicating his road to the Majors with Tampa. However, he does give the team some depth following Desmond Jennings’ knee surgery. Should another Tampa outfielder go down, Sizemore could be a theoretical option for the team as its injured players mend.
