Last night, the Tampa Bay Rays made a move designed to help the bullpen, acquiring RHPR Sergio Romo from the Dodgers for cash considerations or a player to be named later (Twitter link).
Romo previously spent his first eight seasons with the Giants before signing with Los Angeles. He was an All-Star in 2013 and was a part of San Francisco’s World Series Championships in 2010, 2012, and 2014. The Rays tried to land a deal with the right-hander in the offseason, mainly because of his effectiveness against right-handed hitters.
I’m excited, Rays manager Kevin Cash told the media after last night’s ball game. It’s a guy that had big-game experience and pitched in a lot of high-leverage situations. I think he’ll complement our bullpen pretty well.
After posting excellent numbers with the Giants from 2008-16, Romo signed a one-year, $3-Million deal with Andrew Friedman and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The switch, however, didn’t fare well for the 34 year-old right-hander, who pitched to a 6.12 ERA/5.75 FIP in 30 appearances (totaling 25 innings) as a Dodger. He also posted career-worst walk (4.32 per nine) and home run (2.5 home run per nine) rates — yielding home runs on 26.9% of fly balls; a 13% increase over his 13.9% mark from 2016 — as well as WHIP (1.40). As a result, the Dodgers designated Romo for assignment on Thursday.
To his credit though, Romo’s career 0.98 WHIP is tops in the big leagues, and he’s held right-handed hitters to a .189 average over his career.
What he (Romo) brings to the table, the ability to miss bats, a lot of that’s still there, said Rays GM Erik Neander. … A guy with the competitiveness, the experience, coming to a league that hasn’t seen him before, we think there’s a chance he can really help us down the stretch.
Romo will slot into a bullpen that has seen impressive campaigns from Alex Colome, Tommy Hunter and Brad Boxberger, yet inconsistency and turnover from other. He is expected to arrive in Tampa Bay this afternoon, and will be activated ahead of the upcoming series against the Orioles.
Note: This move shouldn’t be viewed as the end-all-be-all by the Rays, leading up to the July 31 trade deadline.
Ken Rosenthal on Twitter
Romo will NOT be #Rays’ last bullpen addition. Team attracted to K rate (11.16/9) and big-game experience. Simply taking a shot.
Per Ken Rosenthal (Fox Sports) the Rays — who are also linked to AJ Ramos, Brad Hand and Pat Neshak — aren’t done preparing to make a run at a postseason berth.
Noteworthiness
— Hear ye, hear ye … CJ Nitkowski, FS1, ESPN, and/or any other major media outlet and/or announcer for that matter, you have been formally charged with misnaming St. Petersburg as Tampa, and the team as the Tampa Rays. Because of these apparent crimes against humanity the citizens of St. Petersburg and/or geography aficionados everywhere, you have been formerly charged for geographical indifference by the First Kangaroo Court of Pinellas County. How do you plead?
Nitkowski and FS1 become a geographically challenged two headed monster that seemed incapable getting its whereabouts correct during last night’s telecast.
CJ even got the location wrong in his twitter feed:
Cool thing they have in the visiting manager’s office in Tampa, a photo of each manager getting tossed from a game. pic.twitter.com/Jd6sW5pxHn
— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) July 22, 2017
The visiting manager’s office is in Tampa, not at the Trop in St. Pete? Can you imagine the 30 min. drive for post-game presser?!
— X-Rays Spex (@XRaysSpex) July 23, 2017
We — Charlie Frago (Tampa Bay Times), the Tampa Bay Baseball Market blog, Shadow of the Stadium blog, X-Rays Spex, and a few others — have concocted a plan to charge any media outlet (or broadcaster) that misnames the area for geographical indifference in Kangaroo Court, and fine them accordingly. By our estimation, we should be able to collect enough fine money to fund a downpayment for a new stadium for the Rays.
— You’re a pretty funny guy, CJ. That, however, doesn’t preclude you from knowing your geographic location.
If you don’t print the logo of the network carrying the game on your scorecard (with rounded embossed edge) we probably can’t be friends. pic.twitter.com/OPFyIdLBCU
— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) July 22, 2017
You also should have had the proper name of the city you were in printed on the card … you know, so you didn’t say Tampa 1,549 times.
— X-Rays Spex (@XRaysSpex) July 23, 2017
You think you’ll get over it?
— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) July 23, 2017
You think you’ll get a location right? #GPSIsThereToHelp
— X-Rays Spex (@XRaysSpex) July 23, 2017
— Got those third time through the order blues…
#Rays Archer said errors happen and added he has areas he can be better, like not walking Napoli after E8 and not throwing 2 wild pitches
— Roger Mooney (@RogerMooney50) July 23, 2017