Per MLB Trade Rumors, the Tampa Bay Rays have signed free agent reliever Ronald Belisario to a minor league deal, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Belisario, previously with the Dodgers and White Sox, looks to have good chance to win one of two open spots in the Rays bullpen. He was reported to have been close to a deal with the Blue Jays, yet the Rays had been talking to him for a while.
The bespectacled (begoggled?) Belisario spent time at closer last season despite a bloated ERA. The RHP is a sinker-slider pitcher, though Belisario’s sinker is by far his best pitch. To put things into perspective, his sinker is a well-above-average offering that sits in the mid-90s, misses bats, and forces ground balls. His slider, however, rates closer to below-average.
While he’s blessed with a power arm, Belisario lacks the command of a knockout secondary offering required by late-inning relievers. Belisario has also struggled in the past against left-handed batters. I’d imagine he’d enter Spring Training as a low-leverage (or middle-relief) reliever, or as a right-handed ground-ball specialist.
It’s also worth mentioning, Belisario has an additional year of team control remaining, and it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility to see a 2016 return if he’s effective.
Tampa Bay is likely to also sign INF Alexi Casilla. Casilla, previously with the Twins and Orioles, would join the field for middle infield spot on Spring Training, though the Rays could still end up acquiring a starting SS.
We’ll have more on this in time.
Noteworthiness
