The Rays are signing reliever Jaime Schultz to a minor league deal, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. He’ll be in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Schultz has plenty of familiarity with the Tampa Bay organization. He began his professional career as a Rays draftee in 2013. Within a few seasons, he garnered some prospect attention as a potential high-leverage bullpen arm. That hasn’t materialized, as Schultz has battled scattershot command and injuries that have kept him from establishing himself in an MLB relief unit.
The High Point product pitched at the highest level in 2018-19, with the first of those seasons spent in Tampa Bay. He made 22 appearances for the Rays and four more as a Dodger the following season. Between the two clubs, he’s posted a 5.86 ERA across 35 1/3 MLB innings. Schultz struck out roughly 26% of opponents while averaging around 95 MPH on his fastball. That came with an alarming 13.6% walk percentage, leading Los Angeles to outright him off their roster towards the end of the 2019 season.
Schultz has signed minor league deals with the A’s and Mariners in recent years but been limited to five combined Triple-A outings since 2020. He didn’t sign with any team for 2022 but returns to the affiliated ranks this year. He’ll add a live arm to the upper levels of the Rays’ minor league system. Schultz figures to open the season with Triple-A Durham. He’s out of option years, so he’d have to stick on the active roster or be made available to other teams if he earns a call-up at any point.
The Rays are definitely going for it in 2023.
The more you troll the more worried you sound.im thinking world series based on the number of inane comments I have seen lately
Rays have gone to more world series the past decade than you and we used to be your triple AAA team, Yankees = modern day cowboys. Just bc u wear pinstripes doesn’t make you a champion just like the star on the helmet.
More pitching. Been an interesting approach this offseason from a team that desperately needs a lefty bat.
Yan, love the screen name by the way, even if it’s meant to be ironic. I recall when Yan first came up w the O’s before his days with the then, Devil Rays.
I can’t find any fault in how the Rays develop pitching. So whatever it takes when there’s no downside to stashing him in Durham.
Kepler with the Twins seems like a good trade target and the team seems to be in win-now mode so maybe some major league bullpen piece for him.
I suffered through many tense 9th innings watching Yan during the Devil Rays days.
I agree, nobody beats the Rays at developing pitching. How they assess and develop hitting, on the other hand, is kind of a mixed bag. I live in Texas now, so my stomach turns every time I watch Nate Lowe tear it up with the Rangers.
If they do get a bat this offseason, Kepler seems like a viable target. Seth Brown is another one. Who knows with the Rays. It could be a random bat that nobody expects (like Paredes last offseason) that ends up working out. I’m also hopeful that their offense will bounce back if it stays healthy. It’ll be nice to see a full year of a healthy Franco. Even so, they still need to balance their lineup out with at least one more lefty bat.
Basabe, Hernandez, and Ovalles look like a very good return for Lowe. Did anyone think the Rays would ever pay up for a 1b? He’s making $4 million in arb this year, Rays would have traded him anyway.
Well they paid $11 mil for Efflin, so $4 mil for Lowe in comparison seems like a steal. I haven’t really kept track of the return they got from Lowe, so I’m glad to hear they look promising.
Honestly, Eflin was a surprise. But, I assume they overpaid the market because they felt they could help him reach another level, and other teams felt the same but not to such a degree. And with their pitching development? I’d never doubt them.
I 100% agree with you on the rays and hitting development. Personally, I feel like they are banking on Eflin showing results immediately then trading for hitting in 2024 mid year at the latest.
For a cost-conscious franchise their approach makes sense. Focus on cultivating the most valuable aspect (pitching), then trade to fill in deficiencies (hitting). Even better if you can get volume returns from teams that develop hitters well.
I feel like Lowe trade will work out for both teams. Rays will probably use one or two of those guys in trades, but they haven’t been slacking since they were traded.
@Goat Yan: Roberto Heart Attack Hernandez would give me palpitations. Yan was almost as suspenseful. The TB organization has come a long way, and I’m proud to be a fan since day 1.
GO RAYS!!!
I think the Rays just won an award for the most beautiful stadium in the majors.
rays next breakout
Can’t beat that view of industrial catwalks.
5.86 ERA? Yeah good signing