Update: I’m still trying to process all of the moves made by the Rays at the 40-man roster deadline. I’ll continue to update this thread, as well as put together a piece on the Rays 40-man roster additions.
I wrote Wednesday night that the deadline to add players to the 40-man roster, in order to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft in December, is midnight tonight, November 20th. Six players were identified as possibilities to be cut loose in order to make room for prospects, among the 38 currently on the 40-man roster. I’ll be updating this as the roster moves are announced, keep checking back.
Friday, November 21 update (7:19):
New RHP Jose Dominguez was the Dodgers number 11 prospect going into 2014 per Baseball America, citing his 100-plus mph fastball. In an article on the 40-man roster deadline, Marc Topkin wrote, “Dominguez, 24, made the Dodgers’ opening day roster but spent much of the season at Triple-A Albuquerque, going 1-2 with 10 saves and a 3.24 ERA (33⅓ IP, 12 ER) while missing time with an injured shoulder, though he returned to pitch in the minor-league playoffs. He will compete for a spot in the Rays bullpen but has options and could open at Triple-A Durham. Rays vice president Chaim Bloom cited his “electric stuff.”’
12:37 update:
12:32 update:
The Rays have traded RHP Joel Peralta and LHP Adam Liberatore to the Los Angeles Dodgers for RHP Jose Dominguez and Class-A RHP Greg Harris. Tampa Bay will add Dominguez, RHP Matt Andriese, INF Ryan Brett, LHP Grayson Garvin, OF Mikie Mahtook, and C Justin O’Conner to the 40-man roster. Jose Molina, Cole Figueroa and recent acquisition RHP Michael Kohn have been designated for assignment. By the end of the night, Tampa Bay knocked $2.5M off the payroll by trading Peralta, though they are on hook for $2.75M with Molina unless they can trade him by Monday, December 1.
12:10 update:
INF Ryan Brett is one of the Rays roster additions, per JJ Cooper of Baseball America. Brett played 107 games at AA Montgomery in 2014, and slashed .303 BA/.346 OBP/.448 SLG with 8 HR, 38 RBI and 27 stolen bases.
11:30 update:
Unconfirmed, the Rays have traded Adam Liberatore to the Dodgers
Former #Rays prospect Adam Liberatore has been traded to the #Dodgers
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) November 21, 2014
11:26 update:
#Rays still working on roster, and apparently some deal to set it. Only thing I know at this moment to be happening is Molina being DFA’d. — Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) November 21, 2014
11:08 update:
Adding to curiosity of the night, #Rangers have now set their 40-man roster. so it was not pending a deal with #Rays
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) November 21, 2014
7:30 update:
The first casualty of the 2014 roster-jam: Jose Molina. The Rays will DFA C Jose Molina tonight as they clear roster space. He is signed for next season at a salary of $2.75-million, the back end of a two-year, $4.5-million deal. Molina started 70 games this season (playing in 80 total) for Tampa Bay, throwing out only 12-of-50 attempted base-stealers, batting a paltry .178 with two extra base hits. His .187 slugging percentage was the lowest for any player with at least 200 plate appearances since 1968, when Ray Oyler posted a .186 for Detroit. The Rays won’t have to eat Molina’s salary if they can work out a trade within the next 10 days.
4:30 update:
Pictured below is a series of tweets from Chris Cotillo (of MLB Daily Dish). It’s speculation, but he may be referencing a deal for Matt Joyce with the Texas Rangers:
