Rays Acquire Christian Bethancourt
Christian Bethancourt said his goodbyes to his Oakland teammates today, per Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The A’s traded Bethancourt to the Rays in exchange for a pair of minor leaguers, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). In exchange for Bethancourt, the Rays sent outfielder Cal Stevenson and right-hander Christian Fernandez to Oakland, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan (via Twitter). Both teams have announced the deal.
Bethancourt, 30, made it back to the Majors for the first time since 2017. His career began, however, all the way back in 2013 with the Braves. Atlanta eventually traded him to the Padres, where he played from 2016-2017. To that point in his career, Bethancourt owned a .222/.252/.316 line across 489 plate appearances. Since then, Bethancourt has been stuck in Triple-A – with the Brewers in 2018 and the Pirates in 2021.
This season, Bethancourt has burst back onto the scene for an Oakland club that’s largely treading water. The right-handed hitter has slashed .249/.298/.385 in 182 plate appearances while catching and playing first base. He’s also spent ten games as the designated hitter.
For the Rays, they’re getting a versatile defender who can handle the catching spot. Tampa loves defensive versatility, and Bethancourt’s ability to move around the diamond will at least make it possible to keep three catchers on the roster when Mike Zunino returns from injury.
Of course, the Rays haven’t gotten much offense from any catcher on the roster. Zunino registered a measly 43 wRC+ at the dish before going on the injured list, with backup Rene Pinto posting a 27 wRC+ in 51 plate appearances and Francisco Mejia topping the group with a 74 wRC+. Bethancourt’s 99 wRC+ improves upon that lot, but more than that, he gives the Rays some depth at a position where it was previously lacking.
The Rays were thought to have some interest in Willson Contreras, perhaps the top trade available trade target on the market, though The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal noted a reticence on Tampa’s part to pay high-end prospects for a rental like Contreras. Acquiring Bethancourt doesn’t necessarily take Tampa out of the running for Contreras, but it gives them plenty of leverage in later negotiations.
In many ways, Bethancourt represents a sort of everyman version of Contreras. He’s an offensive upgrade who bats right-handed and can move around the diamond when needed. To his advantage, Bethancourt doesn’t carry the financial obligations that Contreras does, perhaps giving Tampa another reason to consummate this deal now. By making the move today, the Rays give themselves a month to reassess their situation and decide if a bigger splash is necessary.
The Rays designated David McKay for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Bethancourt. After spending most of the spring with the Rays, McKay latched on with the Yankees to start the season. The Rays claimed him off waivers, but he has spent most of the season in Triple-A. He’ll again now be exposed to waivers.
As for Oakland, they’ll pick up a pair of minor leaguers for a veteran that probably didn’t fit on their next contender. MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos provides this quote from manager Mark Kotsay, who said, “Christian did a great job while he was here. It’s tough trading a player who has had an impact on and off the field. He’s been a leader in that clubhouse. .. I’m happy for him that he’s going to a team in contention and in need of catching.” Kotsay still has two catchers on the roster in Sean Murphy and Stephen Vogt.
For Oakland, neither player coming back is a top prospect, but that doesn’t mean they have no future in the bigs. Besides, considering Oakland’s minimal investment in Bethancourt, two minor leaguers is a solid return for the utility catcher.
Stevenson isn’t a top prospect, but he’s a fast-enough outfielder whose ability to play centerfield provides a cleaner path to the Majors than most, despite already being 25 years old. Originally a 10th-round draft choice by the Toronto Blue Jays, Stevenson has spent the past two seasons in the Rays farm system. In Triple-A this year, the southpaw has hit .265/.376/.353 in 203 plate appearances.
Fernandez was signed originally by the Rays out of Venezuela back in 2016. The 22-year-old registered a 2.79 ERA across 58 innings for the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs. He will go to High-A where he will join the Lansing rotation.
Rays Claim Yu Chang, Transfer Brandon Lowe To 60-Day IL
The Rays are claiming Yu Chang from the Pirates, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Pittsburgh designated the infielder for assignment last week. To create a spot on the 40-man roster, Tampa Bay transferred second baseman Brandon Lowe from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.
Chang heads to his third organization of the season. A longtime member of the Cleveland farm system, the right-handed hitter saw action with the MLB club every year between 2019-22. Despite a decent prospect pedigree, Chang never secured regular playing time in a series of generally strong infields, and he struggled when he did find his name in the lineup. The Taiwan native hit only .208/.265/.372 with a lofty 28.5% strikeout rate over 358 plate appearances in Cleveland, bouncing on and off the active roster for his first three years.
That shuffle exhausted all of Chang’s minor league option years, and the Guardians were left to carry him on the big league roster or take him off the 40-man this season. They kept him in the big leagues for a couple months but eventually designated him for assignment in late May. Pittsburgh acquired him for cash considerations a few days later, but Chang continued to scuffle during his month in the Steel City.
Through 18 games as a Pirate, Chang hit .135/.237/.212 with a 42.4% strikeout percentage (18 in 49 plate appearances). The Bucs quickly moved on, and the Rays become the next team to take a low-risk shot to see if they can unlock some of his upside. Chang appeared among Baseball America’s ranking of Cleveland’s top 30 prospects each season from 2015-21, drawing praise for his plate discipline, serviceable power and ability to play all around the infield. As he’s reached the upper levels, however, Chang has shown an alarming propensity for swinging and missing.
It’s possible Chang’s stay in Tampa Bay also proves brief. Because he’s out of options, he has to stick on the active roster or again be designated for assignment. The Rays have a fair bit of infield depth, with Wander Franco ensconced at shortstop and the hot-hitting Isaac Paredes bouncing between second and third base. Yandy Díaz is on hand as a corner option, while former top prospects Taylor Walls and Vidal Bruján can cover virtually anywhere on the dirt. Each of Walls and Bruján has struggled at the plate this season and do have options remaining, however, so the Rays could decide to send either player back to Triple-A Durham once Chang reports to the team.
The infield mix will only become deeper once Lowe is able to make his return. Tampa Bay’s starting second baseman has been out since May 16 while battling a stress reaction in his lower back. Today’s transfer rules him out for 60 days from that initial placement, meaning he’ll be eligible to return right around the All-Star Break.
Lowe progressed to taking batting practice last week, but manager Kevin Cash noted at the time he was still a ways from returning to MLB action (Topkin link). He’ll surely need to head out on a minor league rehab assignment before stepping back into the big league lineup, so the decision to move him to the 60-day IL isn’t a surprise.
Rays Reinstate Brooks Raley, Ryan Thompson, Transfer J.P. Feyereisen To 60-Day IL
The Rays made a flurry of moves this afternoon following a weekend series in Toronto, reinstating left-hander Brooks Raley and right-hander Ryan Thompson from the restricted list and returning righties Phoenix Sanders and Javy Guerra to Triple-A Durham. Raley and Thompson were not allowed to enter Canada due to their vaccination status but will rejoin the team for tonight’s opener of a three-game series in Boston.
The team also recalled left-hander Josh Fleming and optioned right-hander Cristofer Ogando to clear a spot on the active roster. To make room on the 40-man roster for the recently selected Ogando, the Rays transferred J.P. Feyereisen to the 60-day IL. The move pushes the return of the high-leverage righty — who’d logged 24 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run before hitting the IL in early June — to early August at soonest.
The return of Raley and Thompson will come as something of a relief to a bullpen that covered 17 innings over the course of winning three of four in Toronto, including three innings by Sanders, one by Guerra, and two by Ogando (per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, manager Kevin Cash even joked that Raley and Thompson might go a combined 9 innings in their return). While Thompson has struggled to a 5.33 ERA (4.62 FIP) across 25 1/3 innings so far this season, the 34-year-old Raley has been something of a revelation in 2022, posting a sparkling 2.22 ERA (2.09 FIP) behind an elevated strikeout rate (31.7% against 27.2% for his career) and improved walk rate (7.9% against 8.6%).
Rays Select Cristofer Ogando
The Rays announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Cristofer Ogando and optioned fellow right-hander Ralph Garza Jr. in a corresponding move. The club already had a vacancy on their 40-man roster, though Brooks Raley and Ryan Thompson are currently on the restricted list due to their unvaccinated status preventing them from traveling to Toronto for this weekend’s series. Javy Guerra was selected to take one of the vacated spots and Ogando will now take the other. Once the team is in Boston for tomorrow’s game, they will have to remove two players from the roster.
Ogando, 28, has taken a long road to the big leagues. He made his debut in affiliated ball back in 2013 as part of the Marlins organization. Just 19 years old at the time, he threw 6 1/3 innings in Rookie ball but then didn’t appear in the affiliated ranks over the next few seasons. He was signed by the Diamondbacks in 2018 and pitched well enough that the Rays selected him in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft in December of that year.
He’s been in the Rays organization ever since, climbing his way from A-ball to Triple-A. This year, he’s thrown 32 2/3 innings for the Durham Bulls with a 3.03 ERA, 25.2% strikeout rate, 8.7% walk rate and 34.2% ground ball rate. He will make his MLB debut as soon as he gets into a game.
Rays Announce Several Roster Moves
The Rays have selected the contract of right-hander Javy Guerra and recalled righty Phoenix Sanders from Triple-A Durham, per a team announcement. They’ll take the roster spots of left-hander Brooks Raley and righty Ryan Thompson, who have been placed on the restricted list in advance of the Rays’ road series in Toronto.
Tampa Bay also announced that left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who had been slated to start tonight’s game in Toronto, has been scratched and placed on the family medical emergency list. Matt Wisler is instead serving as an opener tonight, and lefty Ryan Yarbrough has been recalled from Triple-A in his place. He’ll be an option to work the bulk of tonight’s innings behind Wisler.
This will be the second stint of the season for Guerra with the Rays. Once a top shortstop prospect with Boston, Guerra moved to the mound during his time in the Padres’ minor league system and has since had brief big league stints as a reliever with Friars and Rays. He pitched 7 1/3 innings for Tampa Bay earlier this season but was rocked for nine runs on 11 hits and four walks with four strikeouts during that brief spell.
Guerra, however, has been lights-out in Triple-A, where he owns a 1.29 ERA with a huge 32.1% strikeout rate against an 8.3% walk rate in 21 innings this season. Half the balls put in play against him have been grounders, and although Guerra served up three long balls in the Majors earlier this season, he’s yet to yield a round-tripper with Durham. While he’s being selected to the roster out of necessity at the moment, it’s hard to argue that he hasn’t earned another look anyhow with that standout performance.
The 27-year-old Sanders made his MLB debut with the Rays earlier this year and has pitched well both in the big leagues (1.80 ERA in 10 frames) and in Durham (3.38 ERA in 18 2/3 innings). The Rays’ 2017 tenth-round pick, Sanders only had his contract selected to the Majors this season, so he’s in the first of what can be three minor league option years for Tampa Bay.
Yarbrough, 30, was the Rays’ innings leader from 2019-21 but has seen his results trend in the wrong direction dating back to the 2021 season. He was optioned for the first time in three years earlier this season and has since pitched 19 innings of 4.74 ERA ball in Durham. He won’t have an easy task, returning to face a righty-heavy Blue Jays lineup at the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre, but an impressive showing could help him to pitch his way back into the big league plans.
Rays Reinstate Wander Franco
June 26: The Rays have officially reinstated Franco, per broadcaster Neil Solondz, with Jonathan Aranda being optioned in a corresponding move.
June 25: The Rays are hopeful of activating shortstop Wander Franco from the 10-day injured list on Sunday, manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including The Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin). Franco hasn’t played since May 30 due to a right quad strain, though he did rejoin the Rays today after finishing a five-game minor league rehab assignment. Cash said that Franco will meet with team trainers before the official go-ahead is given to reinstate him to the active roster.
Quad and hamstring problems bothered Franco even prior to his IL stint, as Cash said that for “maybe a month’s worth of games, he just wasn’t himself.” This is reflected in Franco’s splits, since the star shortstop posted a .912 OPS in his first 87 plate appearances of the season, but then slumped to a .566 OPS over 103 PA in May.
However, Franco now appears to be healthy, and ready to fully build on his excellent 2021 rookie season. Considering baseball’s top prospect before his debut last season, the 21-year-old Franco lived up to those high expectations, to the point that the Rays jumped to extend him via the biggest contract in club history.
Getting Franco back into the everyday lineup will be a huge help for a Rays team that hasn’t gotten much consistent hitting. Tampa’s typically excellent pitching (particularly the rotation) has helped keep the Rays afloat in the tough AL East, as the Rays still have a 39-32 record and are in possession of a wild card berth. Getting even average hitting would help the Rays solidify that playoff positioning, and perhaps help them cut into the Yankees’ big division lead.
Franco isn’t the only reinforcement on the way, as Drew Rasmussen is tentatively slated to return during the Rays’ upcoming series (June 30-July 3) against the Blue Jays. Rasmussen was retroactively placed on the 15-day IL due to a hamstring strain on June 12, and more will be known about his status once he completes three innings of live batting practice today at the Rays’ Spring Training facility.
Pete Fairbanks is also on the comeback trail, as the right-hander has yet to pitch this season after suffering a partial lat tear in March. Fairbanks is scheduled for his own live BP session on Monday and then a Florida Coast League game on Thursday, and may join Triple-A Durham for a rehab assignment afterwards.
Manuel Margot Diagnosed With “Significant” Strain Of Patellar Tendon
Rays manager Kevin Cash announced Friday that outfielder Manuel Margot has been diagnosed with a “significant patellar tendon strain” but will not require surgery (Twitter link via Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). It’s relatively good news, particularly as Cash confirmed prior reports that the team initially feared Margot had suffered a torn ACL. Cash did not put a specific timetable on Margot’s rehab but did say the organization’s hope is that he’ll return at some point this season.
While the possibility of a 2022 return is a decidedly better outlook than that of a season-ending ACL tear, it’s still a tough blow for a Rays club that now has five members of its Opening Day lineup on the injured list. Margot, who’s already been moved to the 60-day IL, joins Wander Franco, Brandon Lowe, Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Zunino on the IL. Currently, the Rays are utilizing an outfield of Randy Arozarena, Brett Phillips and Josh Lowe. Harold Ramirez could see some additional outfield time in Margot’s absence, though he’s been used more as a designated hitter and first baseman this year. Luke Raley, recently recalled from Triple-A Durham, is another option. He’s yet to get into a big league game but has torn through Triple-A pitching so far in 2022.
Margot’s injury, sustained while attempting a leaping catch at the right field wall, will disrupt what has been far and away the finest season of his big league career. The 27-year-old has taken exactly 200 plate appearances and turned in a .302/.365/.423 batting line with three homers, 11 doubles, a triple and five steals (in six tries).
Margot’s departure subtracts one of the Rays’ most productive bats from the lineup and, perhaps as crucially, also robs them of one of the game’s best defensive outfielders. Though defensive metrics on him so far in 2022 have been roughly average, Margot ranked 13th with 41 Defensive Runs Saved and seventh with 51 Outs Above Average among all big league outfielders from 2016-21.
Rays Acquire David McKay From Yankees For Cash Considerations
The Rays have acquired right-handed pitcher David McKay from the Yankees in exchange for cash considerations, per the Yankees. McKay will be added to the Rays’ 40-man roster and sent to Triple-A, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Manuel Margot is going on the 60-day injured list, opening a slot for McKay.
McKay was recently designated for assignment by the Yankees as they made room for Albert Abreu, claimed off waivers from the Royals. As part of this deal, the Yankees announced that Abreu has been placed on the active roster. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt was optioned to Triple-A last night after the game, freeing up a spot on the active roster.
McKay actually spent spring training with the Rays, so he’ll be familiar with his new club. The 27-year-old made just two appearances for the Yankees, both scoreless innings. He has also appeared in his career with the Mariners and Tigers, totaling 28 2/3 innings over 28 appearances since 2019 with an overall 5.65 ERA/4.78 FIP.
For the Yankees, they’ll pick up some cash from a division rival while returning to a former prospect in Abreu. Still just 26, Abreu made seven appearances with the Rangers and another four with the Royals this season, and while he has posted a 3.46 ERA over those 13 innings, an 8.44 FIP belies some underlying issues with the overall body of work. Namely, Abreu has struggled from a lack of command, giving out 16 free passes in those 13 innings.
Chris Mazza Elects Free Agency
Reliever Chris Mazza has cleared waivers and elected minor league free agency, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The righty had been designated for assignment by the Rays earlier in the week.
Mazza signed a minor league deal over the offseason and cracked the Opening Day roster. He was called upon by skipper Kevin Cash twice out of the bullpen, allowing ten runs (seven earned) over 5 1/3 combined innings. Mazza landed on the injured list two weeks into the season due to back spasms, and he was eventually transferred to the 60-day IL. The 32-year-old recently returned to health, but the Rays chose to DFA him rather than put him back onto the MLB roster.
That brief look in April marked four consecutive seasons of some MLB action for Mazza, who debuted with the 2019 Mets. He pitched for the Red Sox during the abbreviated 2020 campaign and has spent the past couple seasons in Tampa Bay. Through 79 major league innings, the California native owns a 5.35 ERA with a modest 18.5% strikeout rate.
While he’s yet to cement himself in any team’s major league bullpen, Mazza has a solid minor league track record. He owns a 3.68 ERA through parts of four years in Triple-A, where he’s punched out a more capable 23.9% of batters faced. That resume should allow him to land with another team on a minor league pact over the coming days or weeks.
Latest On Manuel Margot
June 22: Cash provided a fairly positive update on Margot Wednesday, telling reporters the early testing results “are looking better than not” (Topkin link). He’s facing an extended absence in any event and a specific timetable won’t be known until the club has an official diagnosis, but Cash indicated Margot could still return this season.
June 21: Tampa Bay has placed both Margot and Kiermaier on the injured list. Infielder Jonathan Aranda is up for his Major League debut, and outfielder Luke Raley has been recalled as well.
Topkin tweeted this morning that the team expects Margot’s absence to be “significant,” and Jim Bowden of The Athletic suggests there are those in the organization who fear an ACL injury to Margot. The Rays announced that the results of Margot’s MRI are still pending and are continuing to refer to it as a “knee sprain” for the time being.
June 20: The Rays are likely to place outfielders Manuel Margot and Kevin Kiermaier on the 10-day injured list, manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). Both players made early exits from tonight’s loss to the Yankees, and Margot in particular seems to be facing an extended absence.
Margot had to be carted off the field in the top of the ninth inning. Playing right field, he leaped into the wall in pursuit of an Aaron Hicks fly ball. He landed awkwardly on his right knee after the collision and had to be carted off the field. Cash said after the game he’s been diagnosed with a knee sprain and ominously noted “it doesn’t look good.”
Kiermaier, meanwhile, departed after the second inning. The team later announced he was dealing with inflammation in his left hip, and that issue will apparently require he miss at least a week and a half. It marked the second time in five days that Kiermaier had to make an early exit, and while his latest issue is different than the Achilles inflammation that forced his departure last Wednesday, it’ll lead to an absence of some kind.
Needless to say, the loss of a couple regular outfielders will force Tampa Bay to dip into its depth. Randy Arozarena has started at designated hitter in each of the past two nights, but he’ll now head back to left field on a more or less everyday basis. Highly-regarded rookie Josh Lowe was recalled before tonight’s game after a six-week stint in Triple-A Durham. He figures to assume regular reps in either center or right field, but it remains to be seen how much of an offensive impact he’ll make. The 24-year-old has only a .179/.257/.328 line through his first 75 MLB plate appearances; he posted big numbers with the Bulls but also struck out at an alarming 31.2% rate in the minors.
Tampa Bay has a pair of out-of-options backup outfielders on the active roster in Brett Phillips and Harold Ramírez. Both players could assume larger roles with Margot and Kiermaier out, but each would probably be miscast as an everyday player. Phillips is an excellent defender but is hitting .172/.238/.291 with a 41.6% strikeout rate. Ramírez is performing at the plate (.297/.337/.386) but has rated as a well below-average defender throughout his career.
The Rays could turn to a loose platoon arrangement between the left-handed hitting Phillips and the righty-swinging Ramírez in right field with Lowe playing center, particularly if they anticipate Kiermaier’s absence being on the shorter side. Former Dodger Luke Raley is on the 40-man roster and hitting well in Durham, and he could be recalled to add some offense-first bench depth. It seems likely the club will at least poke around the market for potential external additions, though, considering the amount of uncertainty with each of Lowe, Phillips, Ramírez and Raley.
It has been a rough stretch for the Rays, who’ve been without their primary middle infield of Brandon Lowe and Wander Franco and their #1 backstop Mike Zunino for weeks. The losses of Margot and Kiermaier will leave the club without five of their regular position players, and it’s little surprise the team has sputtered of late. Tampa Bay has dropped six of their past seven games to fall to 36-31. They now sit a half-game back of the Red Sox for the final Wild Card spot in the American League.
The rough injury news wasn’t limited to what happened tonight, as Cash also provided a discouraging update on reliever Nick Anderson pregame. The right-hander has been on the IL all season after undergoing a UCL brace procedure last October. His initial recovery timeline suggested a possible return around the All-Star Break, but Cash said he’s still feeling elbow discomfort and will go for further evaluation tomorrow (Topkin link). More will obviously be known in the coming days, but it seems unlikely the 31-year-old will be back on a major league mound in the near future.