The Rays, continuing their search for a right-handed slugger, have shown interest in Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar, Mark Feinsand and Juan Toribio of MLB.com report. Tampa Bay was previously connected to other notable right-handed hitters in the Rangers’ Hunter Pence and the Tigers’ Nicholas Castellanos (links: 1, 2).
Unlike Texas and Detroit, Milwaukee doesn’t look like a potential seller going into the July 31 trade deadline. The Brewers are a game back of wild-card position and two behind the first-place Cubs in the National League Central. As such, it’s far from a sure thing the Brewers will trade Aguilar. If they do, it would have to benefit them immediately, per Feinsand and Toribio.
Considering Aguilar hasn’t been the integral piece of the Brewers’ roster that he was during a division-winning 2018, he does look more expendable now than he did at the outset of the season. Aguilar slashed .274/.352/.539 with 35 home runs over 566 plate appearances last year to serve as one of the majors’ fiercest sluggers. That production now looks like a distant memory.
So far this season, Aguilar has hit a meek .230/.328/.385 with eight HRs and a massive drop in ISO (from .264 to .155). The 29-year-old has raked in July (.342/.395/.684 in 43 PA), but it’s the sole month in which Aguilar has registered above-average production at the plate. He and the lefty-swinging Eric Thames, who’s having a much better season, have been platooning at first for the Brew Crew.
For all the faults in Aguilar’s bottom-line production, there are reasons for hope. For one, he remains something of a Statcast favorite. There’s a wide chasm between Aguilar’s weighted-on base average (.312) and expected wOBA (.351). He ranks in the league’s 72nd percentile in xwOBA and checks in similarly well in expected slugging percentage (65th) and exit velocity (66th). And contrary to many other power hitters, Aguilar’s not overly prone to striking out. He has fanned a reasonable 22.9 percent of the time (with a better-than-average 12.3 percent walk rate), posted a decent 11.3 percent swinging-strike rate and chased out-of-zone pitches less than most hitters.
Should the Brewers part with Aguilar, an acquiring team would be landing a player who’s cheap now and under control for a while. Aguilar, currently on a near-minimum salary, is slated to take his first of three potential arbitration trips during the upcoming offseason.
The brewers could hand him to the rays for a bit of cash I guess??
Jesus was a fantasy bust for me this year… I wouldn’t go near him if I was the Rays. But then again, I’m an A’s fan so go ahead! I’m
He could be a steal. Look what the rays did to the pirates. He starts to hit again and he has heated up ur talking about a stud hitter
Jesus aguilar is awful guys…..He truthfully is not even a starting caliber every day player, hence why the tribe dumped him after allowing him plenty of years to develop…glad for him he was able to make an all star team with that big first half but he is useless and makes no team better..odd TB (a great run org traditionally would have interest, unless they are offering a bag of baseballs for him 🙂
Cleveland gave him 64 MLB plate appearances over three years. How is that plenty of time to develop?
That it was spread over 3 seasons and then by the 4th season he still wasn’t on board is plenty of time to develop. They finally let him go because they believed he was the player Milwaukee has today, not the one that found some success there.
Rays….just say no. Don’t need a high strikeout defensive liability 1st baseman. Let Choi go. Give the ABs to Lowe or Diaz.
Guessing you didn’t read the article…nice try.
NIce try? In what world is striking out nearly 150 times not considered high?
Check his 2018 stats. I can read very well….thanks.
2019 hes at 20% that’s right around league average
So in 2019 his k rate is 22.9 and league average is 22.6
Just double checked
How is that an excessive amount of strikeouts?
His strikeout rate is not that high so…
Why would Milwaukee get rid of him? he’s an absolute stud
Dray…….. you the man. Even if this is your 10th different user/log in name. I liked you better 3 names ago
Brewers. Snag a pitcher. Like forreal
swap him for Gaibut. win win (assuming Rays actually need Aguilar)
…makes a lot of sense….
Actually does make a ton of sense
Rays are done. They are 9 games back. Red Sox just passed them. They lost 2 of 3 to the White Sox. They lost 3 of 4 to the Yanks. They are looking like they are just going through the motions.
They needed a stating pitcher before Glasnow went down. This opener thing is okay for when you need to skip a starter or you want to give the guys a couple extra days rest. But to do it all year? No.
They will trade looking for 2020. This year is over.
…then in 2020 you can make trades looking for 2021….resumes to TBRays, Inc……
If the White Sox were to send $4.3 million of Abreu’s $5.3 million remaining salary, would the Rays be interested? Abreu is a much better bet than Aguilar.
If someone wants Abreu, they will have to pay and send along top prospects!
One week away from the deadline and, although every team is interested in every player, no one is willing to make the first move!
It’s gonna be a busy 7/31.
He’s a free agent. You’ll get some prospects but not top prospects
He’s out the door the morning after the Commissioner’s trophy is awarded.
aguilar should not even be mentioned in the same breathe as Jose abreu… aguilar was a underachieving Tribe prospect who they quickly realized didnt have the tools to be a true everyday power bat that will give u 30+ and drive in 90…. last year was an anamoly…he is barely a mlb level player…abreu is struggling with average this year but one of the best pure hitters still in the game… guy was born to hit. drives in runs, .300 career hitter and just had bad luck playing for a trash organization
Cards would trade the Rays Carp for a good prospect, some milk duds and we will cover 1/2 of his contract.
Just remember, we have you guys Pham for free
Do rays eat carp? 😉
He would be a good pick up for the Rays. I just don’t see why the Brewers would trade him.
Bc tampa was offering up TWO full bags of new baseballs for him….Are we talking about the same guy? Aguilar is a trainwreck and not a replacement level player… He fluked a half of season last year….he is slOw, poor defensively, pathetic lack of power for his size and worth basically nothing to a team….
It appears you have never actually watched Jesus play more than highlights since your assessment of him is completely inaccurate.
1. Yes, he is slow but look how big he is and you can obviously see why. Congratulations for getting one thing right captain Obvious.
2. Analytics actually rate him as a slightly above average defender at first. He has good hands and more agility than expected which shows on the field
3. Lack of power for his size? Does it really matter how much power one has based on their size or if is crushing the ball enough regardless of your pound for pound raw power.
4. Finally I’m not sure how a player hitting .342/.395/.684 in July can provide zero value to a playoff contender or any team for that matter.
Has he shown significant regression this season? Yes he has. But his recent numbers show there is a possibility he has regain his swing and can contribute down the stretch.
Dray. I missed you
Both the rays & brew crew should put in an offer for Stroman, Smoak & perhaps Giles and Bob’s your uncle
This is the Rays M.O. find the undervalued player. They’re really good at it also. If this team had a normal budget to play with it’d be a real sight to see what they could do.
Yea, The Cleveland Indians second that… and tribe has had far more success doing the exact same thing as the rays…that is why them having interest in a guy who has accrued not even a 3.0 career WAR in 5 seasons (despite finishing with a 3.2 last season bc his fluke first half)…he is not even a replacement level player….why cleveland dumped him…hes 30 and had 75 games of success in 5 years…. hes trash…and the Rays thought they would take Yandy Diaz when we released him and how smart they were…..hows he doing? lol..TB is def a first class FO, but Tribe has done far more talent acquisition and development and also winning… Both teams would be terrors if they spent any money
How is Diaz doing? Well for Cleveland he hit ONE home run in 299 at bats over a two year period. For the Rays he has hit 14 home runs despite being out hurt a couple of times. Off hand I’d say they have done pretty well with him.
Oh, and that’s in 344 at bats!
So True, Andy Friedman and the Dodgers is what the Rays FO is capable of with a reasonable payroll budget since Andy trained them!
uhhh, The Indians have been in the bottom third of payroll every single year since tito got there and from 2016- current, Red Sox #1 payroll= 350 wins, Houston Astros average payroll #10=354 wins.. Cleveland . average #21 payroll and 345 wins and about to get fourth straight division title, a WS appearance, and so i suppose that extra 75-100Million the other two spent is what got the ring…point is, TB is a great org, no doubt but the Indians are hands down the best and most successful FO and tout the best scouting dept in the game…..
Much respect for the Indians especially in developing starting pitching prospects but they do play in the Central Division and the Rays play in the East against the Yankees and Red Sox..
Not happening. Jesus has quietly started to improve for the Brewers this month. He and Thames are a great platoon. Plus he’s controllable and we may lose Thames as a FA in the offseason.