The Rays announced Wednesday that they’ve optioned lefty Jalen Beeks to Triple-A Durham. His spot on the roster will go to righty Zack Littell, who’s been reinstated from the 15-day injured list.
It’s the first time since 2019 that Beeks has been optioned to the minors. He entered the season with four years, 70 days of Major League service time and has accrued another 76 days so far in 2023. That accumulation is notable, as Beeks is now just 26 days shy of five years, at which point he’d need to give his consent to be optioned to the minors. The optional assignment isn’t likely to impact his free-agent timeline, as it’s hard to imagine Beeks won’t be back up for the remaining 26 days he needs to get to that five-year milestone.
Beeks, 30 next month, has been a key arm for the Rays over the past several seasons but struggled so far in 2023. The lefty missed the 2021 season following Tommy John surgery, but in 2020-22 he combined for 80 1/3 innings of 2.91 ERA ball with a 29% strikeout rate and a 7.9% walk rate. This year, Beeks is sitting on a grisly 5.82 ERA with a diminished 23.5% strikeout rate and an elevated 11.8% walk rate.
The Rays’ bullpen ranks 16th in the Majors with a collective 4.12 ERA, but the depth has taken a hit — particularly in terms of left-handed arms. With Beeks optioned out and both Josh Fleming and Garrett Cleavinger on the injured list, Tampa Bay is leaning on Colin Poche and recent veteran signing Jake Diekman. The 36-year-old Diekman has already performed better with the Rays than with the White Sox, who released him earlier in the season; in 10 1/3 innings he he’s allowed four runs on four hits and four walks with 10 strikeouts. Diekman has walked “just” 10.5% of his hitters as a Ray, compared to the 22.5% he walked in a similar sample with the South Siders.
Did they put him in a gorilla costume and ship him off to Africa?
I definitely didn’t remember the name to that character, but googled it to make sure I knew the reference
Just another case of service time manipulation for the Rays. Not the Kris Bryant type manipulation, but there are others.
He just not that good though. There’s nothing really to manipulate. Maybe the next guys better, maybe he’s not.
He’s 30 dude. I think he’s probably glad to just be getting the time and checks. He’s not worth the effort of service time manipulation.
Could be an opportunity to stretch him out a little bit. He did come up as a starter.
They still have Yonny Chirinos on the outside of being a starter and Cooper Criswel getting work as a starter in the minors. Plus Patino. It’s seems like they are undecided but are still keeping him stretched out (who knows what his deal at this point).
I doubt Beeks gets worked as a starter. Especially with his bullpen results.
Beeks is a bad man. Serves him right. So glad Billy Ray switched the FCoj report on the Dukes.
Just another case of the team I am more envious of how they operate. Playing musical chairs with optional talent at a level no one else does. Beeks has been fair but why not for another healthy arm.