Rays Acquire Javy Guerra From Brewers

April 30: Per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays have added Guerra to the active roster ahead of today’s game against the White Sox. Right-hander Calvin Faucher was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

April 29: The Rays and Brewers have swung a late-April trade, with right hander Javy Guerra heading to Tampa Bay in exchange for a player to be named later or cash, the teams announced. To make room on the roster, the Rays designated right hander Braden Bristo for assignment.

It’s a return to the Rays for Guerra, who the Rays had only traded to Milwaukee in November of last year. The 27-year-old was off to a poor start with the Brewers, pitching to an 8.64 ERA in 8 1/3 innings and had been designated for assignment. The chief culprit was a staggering 20% walk rate. Guerra had enjoyed some success with the Rays last season, working to a 3.38 ERA over 16 innings.

Guerra made his big league debut for the Padres back in 2019, and compiled a combined 8.46 ERA over 27 2/3 innings for the organization over four years. He found his way to the Rays last year and enjoyed his best run of success in the big leagues there. The 12.9% strikeout rate and 11.4% walk rate he had in Tampa indicated he some outperformance of his peripherals, and the Rays flipped him to Milwaukee at the end of the season for minor leaguer Victor Castaneda. After struggling in Milwaukee, Guerra will now return to Tampa and look to rediscover some success there.