Tampa Bay Rays

The Milwaukee Brewers traded first baseman Jesus Aguilar to the Tampa Bay Rays for right-hander Jacob Faria, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. 

Aguilar has struggled at the plate in 2019, a year after reaching his first All-Star Game. Through 94 games, he's batting .225 with a .374 slugging percentage, eight home runs and 34 RBI.

Passan noted his performance may be trending upward, however:

The Rays have been hunting for a right-handed bat leading up to the 4 p.m. deadline, and Jesus Aguilar, an All-Star last season, is the answer. Limited sample alert: After struggling much of the season, Aguilar is hitting .298/.346/.574 in 52 July plate appearances.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2019

According to FanGraphs, Aguilar's batting average on balls in play has fallen from .309 to .264, which partially explains his drop in production.

His other offensive peripherals paint a similar picture. His exit velocity is up slightly from 89.8 mph to 90.1 mph, but his launch angle (14.6 degrees) and barrel percentage (8.4) are down compared to a year ago, per Baseball Savant.

If he can return to a level approaching that of 2018, Aguilar will be an obvious help to a Rays offense that ranks 16th in weighted on-base average (.321), per FanGraphs. He's also under team control through 2022, so he'll provide value to Tampa Bay beyond the 2019 season.

A starter for the bulk of his minor league career, the Rays moved Faria into a relief role this season. He has made seven appearances out of the bullpen, posting a 2.70 ERA but allowing seven walks in 10 innings.

Jake Faria has that Honeywell/Cotton screwgie type changeup with huge drop, velocity gap & movement. Unfortunately, having all three of those aspects makes it harder to command (all three have poor strike%), and that’s been Faria’s biggest overall shortcoming to date.

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) July 31, 2019

Faria made a strong impression as a rookie, going 5-4 with a 3.43 ERA in 16 games in 2017.

With Jhoulys Chacin, Brandon Woodruff and Jimmy Nelson all on the injured list, the Brewers needed to address their pitching staff in preparation for the stretch run. They're only 1.5 games back of the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central and one game off the final wild-card spot.

Based on his success two years ago, perhaps Faria emerges as a candidate to help the starting rotation. His experience in the bullpen will allow Milwaukee to be creative with his usage in the second half.

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired veteran second baseman Eric Sogard from the Toronto Blue Jays, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Athletic's Andrew Stoeten noted the Chicago Cubs had been tracking Sogard ahead of Wednesday's trade deadline, while Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the Atlanta Braves had discussed a possible deal with Toronto.

Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet noted how Sogard's landing spot was fortuitous:

Because the Rays are playing in Toronto this weekend, Eric Sogard can simply board the Tampa charter instead of the #BlueJays charter after the game

At last check he was in #BlueJays' dugout, but he won't be there for long

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) July 28, 2019

A free agent at the end of the year, he was a natural candidate to move prior to the deadline as the Blue Jays sit fourth in the American League East at 40-66. Marcus Stroman is the team's most valuable trade asset, with The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reporting the Houston Astros were pursuing him in lieu of a move for New York Mets starter Noah Syndergaard.

With a roster spot opening up, Toronto could potentially call up one of its top prospects:

With Sogard traded, #Bluejays TV crew openly asking the elephant-in-the-room question: Is Bo Bichette going to be in Kansas City tomorrow and not Buffalo? #Bisons

— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) July 28, 2019

Bo Bichette ranks eighth overall on MLB.com's list of the top 100 prospects. The 21-year-old has spent most of the season in Triple-A, where he boasts a .277/.336/.477 slash line along with eight homers and 32 RBI.

Sogard is batting .300 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI through 73 games this year. He's also slugging a career-high .477, which is more than 100 points better than his career average (.340).

The experienced middle infielder will provide some help to a Rays offense that's 17th in weighted on-base average (.318), per FanGraphs. Sitting a half-game out of the second wild-card spot, Tampa Bay needed to something to strengthen its lineup for the stretch run.

Sogard is a clear upgrade at second over Joey Wendle.

Sorry, Charlie. 

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Thursday the Tampa Bay Rays will not make starting pitcher Charlie Morton available ahead of the MLB trade deadline on July 31.

This is Morton's first season as a Ray, as the 35-year-old signed a two-year contract ahead of this season after most recently pitching for the Houston Astros in 2017 and 2018.

At the time of Morton's $30 million signing, the right-hander expressed how happy he was to land in Tampa Bay because he lives in Florida during the offseason (h/t MLB.com's Richard Justice): 

"When I heard the Rays were interested, I really hoped we could work something out. Everything about the situation seemed perfect. I couldn't wait to hear what was going on from the negotiating side of it. When I found out it was something we could agree on, I was anxious to get it going.

[...]

"The thought of being able to play close to home and with such a talented group, a young group, an exciting group, seemed something too good to be true. I guess I was looking for a really good situation overall more than a dollar amount, more than a year amount. The quality of the character in the clubhouse, those things are really important to me."

The Rays clearly feel just as fondly about Morton.

So far in 2019, Morton has a 12-3 record paired with a 2.60 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. 

The two-time All-Star's value to the Rays goes beyond his impressive statistical production at this point in the season. 

If you look at the Rays' depth chart right now, Morton is the only listed starter in Tampa Bay's rotation because of injuries. The simple fact that he's healthy, then, makes him indispensable. 

Most notably, the club announced earlier Thursday that reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell has been placed on the injured list with "loose bodies" in his throwing elbow. The Athletic's Jose Tolentino additionally reported that Snell will undergo arthroscopic surgery.

The Rays expect Snell to be ready to return in September. 

However, the Rays having a chance to play relevant baseball in September will have a lot to do with the rest of the rotation returning to full-strength with Morton leading the charge. 

The 58-47 Rays are 10 games back of the division-leading New York Yankees in the American League East but just one game behind the second AL wild-card spot prior to the league's Thursday night slate finishing. 

The Tampa Bay Rays announced Thursday they have placed ace Blake Snell on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, because of "loose bodies" in his left elbow. The team expects him back on the mound in September.

The Athletic's Josh Tolentino first reported the news Thursday and noted Snell will have surgery on the elbow "to remove a loose body."

Snell was the American League Cy Young winner in 2018. He finished 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA and 2.95 FIP in 31 appearances, per FanGraphs. His 4.8 WAR ranked only seventh among AL pitchers, though.

The Rays rewarded the left-hander with a five-year, $50 million extension in the offseason.

Snell got off to a great start in 2019, striking out 36 batters and allowing six earned runs in his first 25 innings. Tampa Bay then placed him on the 10-day injured list with a fractured right toe in April. The circumstances behind his injury were odd, to say the least.

#Rays Snell said he was getting out of the shower Sunday night, decided then to move a decorative stand in the bathroom that he didn’t realize was in 2 parts, and as he lifted it the bottom piece, made of granite, fell on his right foot. That fourth toe is a bruised red mess. https://t.co/KHUOk5FcBL

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) April 16, 2019

Since returning to the mound, Snell has regressed. In 20 starts, he's 6-7 with a 4.28 ERA and a 3.40 FIP.

The Rays far exceeded expectations last season, winning 90 games and missing out on a wild-card berth by seven games. They continue to contend for the postseason in what is one of MLB's toughest divisions. They're a game back of the final wild-card spot.

Snell was a big reason for Tampa Bay's success a season ago, so his absence will leave an obvious hole in the team's starting rotation.

The Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly interested in acquiring Texas Rangers veteran Hunter Pence, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.  

While the 57-45 Rays trail the New York Yankees by nine games in the AL East, they are firmly in the Wild Card picture, lagging behind the Cleveland Indians by two games and the Oakland Athletics by one. That race remains wide open, and the defending champion Boston Red Sox sit just two games behind Tampa.

The Rays could use a bit more pop in their lineup, though. They're currently ninth in the American League in runs (466), 10th in homers (132), seventh in team batting average (.252) and ninth in team OPS (.750). 

The 36-year-old Pence could help in that regard. He's hitting .290 this season with 15 home runs and 48 RBI—a resurgent campaign for a player who hasn't hit 15 or more homers since 2014. While injuries slowed him down in recent seasons with the San Francisco Giants, Pence has been excellent in 2019 and would make sense in the designated hitter role.

His stellar season included a fourth career berth in the All-Star Game this summer.

He would also likely come for a reasonable price, given his age and the fact he'll be a free agent after the season. His postseason experience and veteran presence in the clubhouse would be another benefit for a Rays team in the middle of a playoff push.  

For the Rangers, moving Pence would free up at-bats for Willie Calhoun, who is currently playing in Triple-A. He performed well for the Rangers in limited action this season, hitting .277 with five homers, 13 RBI and 15 runs in 26 games.

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe will have to miss the 2019 All-Star Game after suffering a bruise on his right shin. 

Per MLB.com's Juan Toribio on Thursday, Lowe was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to July 3. 

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times added Nate Lowe (no relation) was called up from Triple-A to take Brandon's spot on the 25-man roster. 

Lowe has had an eventful week already, though it didn't end the way he would have liked. The Rays rookie was named to the AL All-Star squad on Wednesday as an injury replacement before his status was called into question later in the day.

Lowe fouled consecutive balls off his shin against the Baltimore Orioles in the bottom of the sixth inning and left the game on crutches. 

Now that the Rays have put Lowe on the IL, he's assured of being unavailable to play in the July 9 event in Cleveland. The 24-year-old will still make the trip to Progressive Field. 

Lowe's instant success in 2019 has been one of the reasons Tampa Bay currently holds the first wild-card spot in the AL. The Virginia native leads the Rays with a .523 slugging percentage, 16 homers and 49 RBI in 76 games. 

The Tampa Bay Rays are calling up pitcher Brendan McKay to make his major league debut Saturday against the Texas Rangers, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

The fourth overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft is the second-ranked prospect in Tampa Bay's system and the No. 23 prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com.

McKay has quickly worked his way through the minor leagues in the two years since he was drafted fourth overall out of Louisville. After spending last year between rookie ball, Single-A and High-A, he started the 2019 campaign at Double-A before quickly earning a promotion to Triple-A.

The southpaw is 6-0 with a 1.22 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP in 13 total appearances (including 11 starts) this season, striking out 88 hitters in 66.2 innings. He has not allowed more than three runs or five hits in any start this season, and he has made it through seven outings without surrendering an earned run.

McKay has proved to be more than ready for Triple-A, going 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP in five games at the top level of the minor leagues.

And while he has dominated on the mound, he has also been given the opportunity to be a two-way player after a standout career at the plate during his time at Louisville. A scout told The Athletic's Josh Tolentino that his club "definitely looked at [McKay] as a hitter" because he "can really hit."

Thus far, though, his bat has not been on the same level as his arm, as he is hitting .216/.348/.356 as a pro. He is, however, hitting .265 with four home runs, two doubles and 10 RBI in 60 plate appearances as a designated hitter at Triple-A this year.

Giving up playing in the field at first base wasn't easy, but McKay acknowledged that it has helped him focus on his biggest responsibilities.

"It's given me a lot more time to focus on just doing hitting and pitching stuff, getting into a throwing program and working with our hitting coaches," McKay told Tolentino in May. "It's helped out a lot. You feel a little bit more fresh each game, each series. You're not really run down from playing first, pitching and hitting. You have less to worry about."

It's not clear how many at-bats McKay might see at the big league level when he gets called up. 

McKay has earned the promotion by impressing at every level of the minors. With Thursday's game going 18 innings, the Rays could use a quality outing of the left-hander. And if he gives them one, he could have the opportunity to stick around.

Can Florida and Canada share an MLB franchise? We might find out, but it's going to get bumpy.

On Thursday, Major League Baseball granted the Tampa Bay Rays permission to explore the idea of calling both Tampa and Montreal home.

It's far from a done deal and is fraught with issues. But it's officially on the table.

The Rays are 29th in attendance this season with an average of 14,545 fans per game, ahead of only their in-state counterparts, the Miami Marlins.

Yet while the Marlins are in last place in the National League East, the Rays are fresh off a 90-win season and currently hold the American League's top wild-card position.

Does Tampa's greater population care enough about its small-market overachievers? It's an open question, but signs point to no.

Here's how MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred described the situation to reporters:

"The purpose of the split season would be to preserve baseball in Tampa, but improve the economics of the club overall by playing some of their games in Montreal. There is no commitment on the part of the owners to ultimately approve a plan. The permission that was granted was simply a permission to explore this alternative in an effort to strengthen a franchise that's performed great on the field but continues to be pretty limited from an economic perspective."

Is this two-location notion the answer? There are major hurdles, to say the least.

The Rays have an agreement to remain at Tropicana Field through 2027. Voiding that pact would require approval from St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. 

"Ultimately, such a decision is up to me," Kriseman told reporters. "And I have no intention of bringing this latest idea to our city council to consider. In fact, I believe this is getting a bit silly."

Rays outfielder Tommy Pham was equally skeptical in his remarks to reporters.

"I was like, 'Is this a joke?'" Pham said. "You know, but, April Fools' was months ago, so it's shocking all of us."

Naysayers aside, it's worth asking: How would this arrangement actually work?

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the tentative plan is for the Rays to play roughly two-and-a-half months in Tampa, or around 35 home games, to start the season. They'd then fly north and play another 46 or so home games in Montreal.

"The Rays can pay the players for the inconvenience," Topkin noted, "similar to the stipends they get for taking international trips, and as part of a compensation package that also could offset other issues such as taxes, currency exchange (though they're paid in U.S. dollars) and family travel costs."

There is precedent: In 2003 and 2004, the Montreal Expos played 22 home games in Puerto Rico. Attendance ticked upward, but it also preceded the Expos' move to Washington, D.C., in 2005, where they would become the Nationals.

Are the Rays trying the same ploy—asking for a split season with their eyes on a new city? Or are they trying to leverage a new stadium? By threatening a timeshare, could the Rays coerce either Montreal or Tampa to build a shiny new facility?

Superagent Scott Boras believes that's the endgame.

"It's a very interesting concept to force one city or the other to build a stadium rapidly, which I think is the real idea behind it all," Boras said, per Topkin.

The Rays' sparse attendance is tough, but the logistics of this proposal will be tougher.

Asking players to juggle their lives between two countries. Expecting a pair of cities to potentially construct new stadiums but get only half of their franchise's home games. Hoping Tampa officials let the team out of its Tropicana commitment despite discouraging words from the mayor.

These are gargantuan hurdles to clear. They might make this whole gambit a non-starter. Yet as Manfred told reporters, "any outcome is possible."

Despite the backlash, this is an interesting concept. As we saw with the Toronto Raptors' 2019 NBA Finals victory, Canadians have a healthy appetite for U.S. sports. Canada already has the Toronto Blue Jays, but another big league club could draw robust interest north of the border.

"You hear the passion from the fans there, that when the Expos played there, you recognize that they're in the mix now, there's been a lot of talks," Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters. "I think baseball wants to go where baseball's wanted."

Can Florida and Canada share an MLB franchise? Stay tuned.  

In their search for ways to boost attendance, the Tampa Bay Rays have looked into splitting time between Florida and Canada.

Per ESPN.com's Jeff Passan, Major League Baseball's executive council has granted the Rays permission to explore a plan that would allow them to start the season playing home games in Tampa Bay and finish their home schedule in Montreal. 

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed the Rays have been granted permission to explore the plan, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman informed the team he would not let them have talks with Montreal as the Rays have an agreement with the city until 2027, according to John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times.

Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg issued a statement about the situation: "My priority remains the same, I am committed to keeping baseball in Tampa Bay for generations to come. I believe this concept is worthy of serious exploration."

Passan noted the plan is still in the "nascent stages" and that "significant hurdles" remain before the Rays' plan can be put into action. 

There would be potential benefits for the Rays and MLB in the event they can get approval for the two-city idea. 

During the All-Star break last year, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told FS1's First Things First the league has ideas for host cities, including Montreal, if the league decides to expand beyond 30 teams:

"We think there are places in Mexico we could go for the long haul."

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on the league's expansion pic.twitter.com/aezGxAs5mS

— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) July 17, 2018

Moving the Rays part-time to Montreal wouldn't be a full expansion, but it would give MLB a consistent presence in the city for the first time since the Expos moved to Washington, D.C. in 2004. 

The Expos were the last MLB team that split time between two host cities, playing 22 home games during the 2003 season in Puerto Rico. 

Passan added the Rays' plan would include new stadiums in Tampa Bay and Montreal. 

Tropicana Field has consistently ranked as one of the worst MLB stadiums due to its unfavorable location and a poor layout, including catwalks that often disrupt play. 

The Rays have always struggled to draw fans, only breaking 2 million in attendance once in its inaugural season. Their average attendance of 14,545 this season ranks last in the American League and 29th in MLB. 

Playing their home games at Tropicana Field doesn't make the Tampa Bay Rays immune to delays. 

With the Los Angeles Angels leading Thursday night's game 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, the lights in the domed stadium went out and created quite the scene:

Lights out at the Trop. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/xOnbfHZAqk

— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) June 14, 2019

* UNDERTAKER GONG HITS * pic.twitter.com/vzSjl8OLAy

— Cut4 (@Cut4) June 14, 2019

Never before have I seen anything quite like this. Complete power outage here at Tropicana Field. Still delay. Dugout still without power to see video. pic.twitter.com/bqkvaV5kXd

— Patrick O'Neal (@Patrick_ONeal) June 14, 2019

Teams that play at outdoor stadiums could continue playing if some of the lights go out (depending on the time of day). But when a dome goes completely dark, there's no playing through it until the issue is resolved.

According to the Tampa Bay Times' Joey Knight, a fire at a substation was the cause of the outage. The two teams were able to resume play following a 36-minute delay.