The Rays and veteran utilityman Charlie Culberson have agreed to a minor league contract, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). He’ll be in big league camp this spring and compete for a bench job.
Culberson, 33, brings a veteran right-handed bat and a versatile glove that can be deployed at just about any position to the Rays’ spring training roster. He spent the 2022 season with the Rangers, batting .252/.283/.357 with a pair of homers and six doubles in 124 trips to the plate. Those are roughly in line with Culberson’s career numbers in parts of 10 big league seasons (1311 career plate appearances), though the former No. 51 overall draft pick has been far better against lefties in his career. Through 582 plate appearances versus southpaws, Culberson is a .285/.313/.431 hitter with 11 homers, 37 doubles and five triples.
The only positions that Culberson hasn’t played at the MLB level are center field and catcher. He’s appeared at all four infield spots, played both outfield corners and even logged 7 1/3 innings of mop-up duty on the mound — incredibly allowing just one run on seven hits and three walks (with one strikeout) in that time. The bulk of his work has come at third base (1033 innings), but Culberson has at least 425 career innings at shortstop, second base and in left field as well.
The Rays already have a heavily right-handed big league roster and, as usual, are brimming with multi-position players who could fill a utility role. That makes the right-handed-hitting Culberson something of an odd fit, although there’s certainly no harm in bringing a seasoned veteran in on a no-risk deal — particularly one whose personality and clubhouse presence is so well regarded. Still, with the out-of-options Vidal Brujan all but a lock to make the roster and myriad other infield/outfield options on the 40-man (e.g. Isaac Paredes, Jonathan Aranda, Taylor Walls, and top prospects Curtis Mead and Greg Jones), Culberson could have a tough time cracking the Opening Day roster.
Dodger legend with that walk-off on Vin’s last home broadcast.
No kidding. On that strength alone it would have been nice to see him brought back.
Clutch was great with the Braves, Got hit by pitch by Rodney one time. Brutal!
Finally, the power hitter the Rays need!
(Yes, depth, I get it.)
He’s a good pickup. Solid guy off the bench.
I am a little late to the party, so I will say it…. WOW!
I hope he makes it. Mr. Invaluable. Plays with a lot of heart, and with the love of the game on his sleeve.
We need left-handed hitters
Cy Young 2023
Charlie Culberson has a 1.42 career ERA in 6.1 innings in the MLB
They’ll probably turn him into a starter
Never heard of him
Even now?
Cy Young winner…oh wait
Why would you write a sentence like
“The Rays already have a heavily right-handed big league roster and, as usual, are brimming with multi-position players who could fill a utility role.”
When you could write a clearer
“The Rays already have a heavily right-handed big league roster and are brimming with multi-position players who could fill a utility role as usual.”