The Rays have signed Joey Krehbiel to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The right-hander is represented by Loren Pincus.
Krehbiel, 32, didn’t crack the majors in 2024. He signed a minor league deal with the Mariners about this time last year. He went on to throw 58 innings over 54 appearances for their Triple-A club, allowing 3.26 earned runs per nine. His 22.8% strikeout rate, 10.4% walk rate and 44.9% ground ball rate were all within a point or two of typical averages.
He does have 74 innings of major league experience, most of that coming as an Oriole in 2022, though he also spent time with the Diamondbacks and Rays prior to joining Baltimore. He has a 3.65 ERA in his big league career with an 18.4% strikeout rate, 8.7% walk rate and 42.8% ground ball rate.
His previous stint with the Rays was in 2021, signing a minor league deal going into that year as well. His minor league work that year was arguably his most impressive performance in recent years. He tossed 43 Triple-A innings with a 4.19 ERA, 29.5% strikeout rate and 5.1% walk rate. That got him a brief stint on the major league roster in September, before he went the Orioles on waivers. Baltimore kept him around for a while, though he lost his roster spot during the 2023 season, which led to his minor league deal with the Mariners.
The Rays are obviously familiar with Krehbiel and got some decent results out of him a few years ago, so the two sides have reunited. If he can earn his way onto the roster, he still has an option, which is surely attractive for a team like the Rays as they frequently churn pitchers through the roster. Krehbiel also has less than two years of service time, so he could be cheaply retained beyond this year if he’s holding a roster spot at season’s end.
Rays signing some random depth reliever? Incoming 72.1 IP and 2.31 ERA.
…followed by TJS. I guess someone has to be the worst of the 30 arms the Rays will work through in 2025.
Even the Rays couldn’t get his HR rate under 1.7/9 in AAA in 2021 when he was 28. Hard to see what they’re looking for now with the K’s declining, the BB/9 still up around 4 when they’re not at 6.
Still, 29 teams could benefit from putting an intern on every one of Krehbiel’s pitches in AAA in ’21 and figuring out how the Rays org convinced him to get his BB rate down to an unprecedented 1.8 per 9 after 6.3/9 his previous season and a career rate of 4.0/9.
If Roger Beshens didn’t introduce his Football Slider to MLB and the Rays in May 2018 the Rays and other teams would have never been able to learn it.
Brandon McCarthy in May 2018 who had been pitching for 13 years in MLB and has worked with many pitching coaches asked Roger Beshens for advice in May 2018 on how to throw the Roger Beshens Football Slider. This shows that Roger Beshens was the key influence in MLB players using his Football Slider technique.
The truck I drive for work has a malfunctioning seatbelt alarm that beeps at me every five seconds, even though the seatbelt is on. It’s way less annoying than these posts.
I may be Roger Beshens biggest fan but I feel like using 2018 Brandon McCarthy as an example isn’t the best idea….
Roger Beshen’s interesting observation is about how Brandon McCarthy’s pitching coaches over the years did not know how to teach the Football Slider.
If you were a dedicated fan you would be aware of the 48 minute video featuring Roger Beshens teaching his Football Slider to Brent Strom in the Dbacks Clubhouse May 23, 2024,
Simply relax and everything will be free.
How dare you imply I’m not a dedicated fan? I literally worship Roger Beshens. I’ve viewed every piece of Beshens media there is. I’ve preached on street corners around the world. I can’t even believe- I CANT EVEN BELIEVE IT
Learning each individual piece including the one piece creates lasting memories.
Roger I love you
Roger Beshens showed his “one piece” to Brent Strom in the Dbacks Clubhouse May 23, 2024. Do you want to see the video? Roger will reveal it soon.
I am his number one supporter.
Roger please show me your one piece <3
so gratifying to mute Silly Sweeper bot