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Rays Designate Matt Duffy For Assignment

By Steve Adams | November 20, 2019 at 7:18pm CDT

The Rays have designated third baseman Matt Duffy for assignment and selected the contracts of infielders Vidal Brujan, Jake Cronenworth, Kevin Padlo and Lucius Fox as well as catcher Ronaldo Hernandez. Tampa Bay also traded right-hander Jose De Leon to the Reds in exchange for cash or a player to be named later earlier tonight.

Acquired in the 2016 trade that sent Matt Moore to the Giants, Duffy was expected to be a focal point of the Tampa Bay infield for several years. He’d batted .295/.334/.428 over the life of 149 games during the 2015 season, was considered a premium defender and came to the Rays with another four-plus seasons of team control.

But a series of lower-half injuries — Achilles, foot and hamstring — all limited Duffy considerably over the next three seasons, with the Achilles injury proving to require surgery. Duffy only played 199 games and totaled 809 plate appearances across parts of four seasons in the Rays organization. He’d been projected to receive a $2.9MM salary in arbitration (per MLB contributor Matt Swartz), and the Rays weren’t comfortable with that number, it seems.

Brujan is the most highly regarded prospect of those protected today, ranking as a consensus top 100 prospect and posting a combined .277/.346/.389 batting line between Class-A Advanced and Double-A as a 21-year-old. Each of Hernandez (No. 7), Cronenworth (No. 17) and Fox (No. 19) ranked inside the Rays’ top 30 at MLB.com. Fox, notably, came to the Rays in the same 2016 trade as Duffy. The 23-year-old Padlo was acquired along with Corey Dickerson in the trade that sent German Marquez to the Rockies, and he posted a robust .265/.389/.538 line between Double-A and Triple-A in 2019.

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Tampa Bay Rays Transactions Jake Cronenworth Kevin Padlo Lucius Fox Matt Duffy Ronaldo Hernandez Vidal Brujan

Padres Designate Nick Martini
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Yankees Release Jacoby Ellsbury, Designate Greg Bird
View Comments (40)
Post a Comment

40 Comments

  1. bigcheesegrilledontoast

    6 years ago

    One of the best nicknames in baseball. Colorado might pick him up and send him to the isotopes.

    Reply
  2. Ryan The Riot Theriot

    6 years ago

    Crazy to think that just four years ago, he finished 2nd in the Roy race.

    Reply
    • amk3510

      6 years ago

      Some Giant fans had the audacity to say he should have won over Bryant.

      Reply
      • ABStract

        6 years ago

        He was really good that year, I know home runs are all that seem to matter anymore, but Duffy could do everything but hit for big power.
        I’d love to see the Giants give him another opportunity

        Reply
      • homeunderdog

        6 years ago

        abstract is exactly right. i hope the giants bring him back

        Reply
      • Ben Jamison

        6 years ago

        Different people value different stats differently. Duffy hit .020 higher and had a .021 higher fielding percentage (at their main positions). I honestly at the time was shocked the voting was so one sided.

        Reply
  3. Kolukonu

    6 years ago

    If he can stay healthy, he is a great AVG hitter for a team. Unfortunately, he’s had some difficulty remaining healthy last few seasons.

    Reply
  4. bobtillman

    6 years ago

    No power, “meh” defense, gets hurt all the time…..and the Rays weren’t going to eat 3M in arbitration…..great guy tho by all accounts……

    I would think the Phillies might look…..sort of a Giradi kinda guy….

    Reply
    • lowtalker1

      6 years ago

      Rays confirmed to be cheap for 2020 again

      Reply
      • kc38

        6 years ago

        Orrrrr you can find these guys just about anywhere…. had no impact on a 96 win team and you’re gonna pay him $3million for what exactly?

        4
        Reply
      • dangleswaggles

        6 years ago

        Log jam in the infield and always hurt.

        Reply
  5. h0wmyd0ing

    6 years ago

    Matt Duffy to the Pirates… lock.

    Reply
  6. Baseball 1600

    6 years ago

    Come back home to SF

    1
    Reply
    • scottn59c

      6 years ago

      Yes!

      1
      Reply
    • jekporkins

      6 years ago

      Farhan likes versatile players like him but has zero history with the guy. I wonder if Zaidi wants to get away from old Giants that brings back the glory days.

      Reply
      • snotrocket

        6 years ago

        He better. Thinking that the guys from 5 years ago that won the world series are still good is why the Giants are still bad.

        Reply
        • ABStract

          6 years ago

          I think it’s more that the guy in charge a few years ago decided to have a signing party and gave out a bunch of questionable contracts that have hamstrung the team…

          Reply
    • amk3510

      6 years ago

      Theres always that one Giant fan. Take some advice from Kylo Ren “let the past die”.

      Reply
      • Baseball 1600

        6 years ago

        Look at who they have in the infield now and consider the cost of signing a guy like Duffy. Then reconsider your comment.

        Reply
        • amk3510

          6 years ago

          Duffy is not good at all. He would fit right in.

          Reply
    • letimmysmoke55

      6 years ago

      was gonna say the same thing

      Reply
  7. giantboy99

    6 years ago

    De Leon was much hyped in LA’s farm system prior to coming over to the Rays and getting injured.

    1
    Reply
    • amk3510

      6 years ago

      Dodgers were not as high on him as outside sources. They liked Buehler without even throwing a pro pitch more at the time

      Reply
    • genre99

      6 years ago

      He looked great. And what a cool guy. I hope he bounces back.

      1
      Reply
    • jbeerj

      6 years ago

      Was hoping my Brewers would’ve bought low on him, now he’ll thrive under Derek Johnson.

      Reply
  8. 8

    6 years ago

    Would be a great fit with the Nats

    1
    Reply
  9. fighting69th

    6 years ago

    M’s all day

    Reply
  10. Guy4thenorth

    6 years ago

    Get it done Tigers!

    Reply
  11. imindless

    6 years ago

    Could see him at 3rd for the angels!

    Reply
    • andrewgauldin

      6 years ago

      La Stella, Fletcher, Cozart, Rengifo, Thaiss. 5 players for Second Base and Third Base. I doubt Duffy is coming to Anaheim.

      Reply
  12. dazedatnoon

    6 years ago

    I don’t think he makes it past the bottom 2 teams in the AL. Detroit and Baltimore should both take a flier on a bounce back candidate.

    Reply
  13. matt4baseball

    6 years ago

    Duffy gave his all with the Rays and offered clutch hitting and very good defense when healthy. His injuries gave the Rays other infielders opportunities that doomed Duffy’s return. He will be a great pick-up for any other team.. Deleon knows how to pitch when healthy and will become a starter for the Reds next year. Sad to see them go but the Rays minors players need to be protected.

    1
    Reply
  14. jorge78

    6 years ago

    Doesn’t Fox have the most amazing name in the MILB?

    1
    Reply
    • lucienbel

      6 years ago

      I can’t believe you’re the only one to mention it thus far.

      Reply
    • Verlander2TheQuickening

      6 years ago

      Let’s hope he has a good bat, man.

      Reply
  15. DarkSide830

    6 years ago

    looks like McWilliams is getting selected again

    Reply
  16. 22jclark

    6 years ago

    Come on back to SF, never should have traded you in the first place. Great attitude, versatile, plays the game the right way. Bound to have some healthy years after the constant injuries. Wouldn’t cost much and as previously stated, a solid dude in the clubhouse

    Reply
  17. stubby66

    6 years ago

    Duffy to Milwaukee and he gets regular playing time. Replaces Perez

    Reply
  18. DarkSide830

    6 years ago

    i think it would be interesting to see Duffy in Philly as a stopgap before Bohm arrives.

    Reply
  19. bravesfan

    6 years ago

    Seems like a bold move. He’ll find a spot quickly. Power doesn’t exist, but he’s good enough to be at worse a bench player if not every day player on the right team

    Reply

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