Rays interested in SS Nick Ahmed; make next round of roster cuts

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed makes the off balance throw for the out off the bat of Jorge Soler in the seventh inning of a baseball game. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

The Tampa Bay Rays have joined the San Diego Padres in showing trade interest for Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed. Additionally, the Rays made their next round of Spring Training roster cuts.

The team is uncertain as to when Matt Duffy, who is recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, will be able to begin full baseball activities.

For his part, Duffy headed to Charlotte, N.C., Thursday to see Dr. Bob Anderson — the orthopedist who performed the surgery — seeking answers for the slow progress in his rehabilitation.

I don’t think it’s anything serious, Duffy said. I think if it was, it would feel bad every day. Some days it feels good, and some days it feels bad. So hopefully he can give us some answers on something we could possibly be doing differently and hopefully get this thing figured out.

The Rays were already operating under something of a strained middle infield in the wake of the Logan Forsythe trade to the Dodgers.

Tim Beckham is expected to take over at short in Duffy’s absence, leaving Tampa Bay short a right-handed hitting platoon option for Brad Miller, who has struggled against lefties. Daniel Robertson could make the team as a utility infielder behind Beckham should they go with an in house option, as could Michael McKenry or Nick Franklin.

Ahmed has a reputation of being an excellent defender at short, collecting +34 DRS and a 14.3 UZR/150 over his career at the position. He, however, only has a .597 OPS to his name over 842 plate appearances in his brief career.

On the plus side, as Mark Polishuk (MLB Trade Rumors) wrote, Ahmed is controllable through the 2020 season, and potentially through 2021 spending on how much more service time he accumulates this season — he has already clocked two years and 54 days of service time in his career.

The Rays reassigned eight players to minor league camp on Thursday:

INF/OF Jake Bauers
OF Johnny Field
1B Casey Gillaspie
INF Jake Hager
3B Patrick Leonard
OF Dayron Varona
RHP Andrew Kittredge
RHP Neil Wagner

The team also released RHP David Carpenter and RHP Jeff Walters.

Matt Duffy’s slow rehabilitation could open a roster spot for Daniel Robertson

Matt Duffy, who had surgery on his left heel in September, has yet to do any running. (Photo Credit: AP Photo/DavidGoldman)

With just 11 days left until the start of the 2017 season, the Tampa Bay Rays are seeking answers on the slow recovery of shortstop Matt Duffy. As it stands, it does not appear that Duffy will be ready by April 2, leaving Tim Beckham to slot in as the Opening Day shortstop.

Duffy, who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants in the Matt Moore trade, underwent heel surgery on September 9 with the expectation he would be ready for Opening Day. However, the progress has been slow and he has been limited to drills and strengthening exercises on his left heel. Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times), Duffy will be sidelined into April.

The shortstop told Bill Chastain (MLB.com) that he’s gained strength in his heel, and he’s doing countless baseball activities. He, however, has not done any running yet, nor has he fielded ground balls in game conditions. The next big step for Duffy will come when he runs for the first time, although the timetable for that particular activity is uncertain.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Duffy could go to Charlotte to see Dr. Bob Anderson, the orthopedist who performed the surgery. Cash all but counted Duffy out for Opening Day, and potentially for much of April.

I hope in the next few days we get a little more clarity, Cash said Tuesday. I know we’re talking to doctors and stuff like that trying to get a sense. I think we’re to the point now that some of these issues might not even be from the actual surgery, and I’m saying that in a good way. Maybe we get him checked out and it’s something we can do something different with and treat a little differently.

INF Daniel Robertson — who’s looked better at the plate, and in the field, since the start of Spring Training — could make the team as a utility infielder, behind Beckham, given their newfound need for a right-handed bat. Per Topkin, that depends on whether the Rays add a right-handed hitting outfielder. Robertson would also be competing against Michael McKenry or Nick Franklin for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

I’m happy to be out there playing, having fun, feeling relaxed, Robertson told the Tampa Bay Times. I’m really free of mind right not, letting the game come to me.

Tampa Bay Rays fall to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-4

The Tampa Bay Rays fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, 5-4. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

On the day his big $53.5-Million extension with the Tampa Bay Rays was announced, Kevin Kiermaier went 2-2 with a run, an RBI, and a walk. However, in spite of The Outlaw‘s offensive production, the Rays dropped the game 5-4 thanks to an eighth inning run off reliever David Carpenter.

Takeaways from Monday’s ball game:

— Blake Snell made a step forward in his preparation for the regular season. Snell threw five innings for the first time this spring, although he surrendered four runs on seven hits — including a pair of two-run homers, one in each of last two innings — while walking two and hitting one. He struck out three.

Previous to Monday, Snell had not completed three innings in his first four outings. This afternoon he threw 74 pitches (46 strikes) strikes, including 15 of 23 first pitch strikes. The southpaw felt it was a step in the right direction:

I’m getting ready for the season. I’m happy with how I’m going about it. I’m happy that I struggled to start, (it) made me want to learn that much more. I’m aware of what I’m doing, I’m aware of what I need to work on, and I know that it’s spring training and it doesn’t matter. At the same time it matters to me because I know what I need to do for my next outing.


(Audio Courtesy of Rays Radio)

— Even though Snell has not been sharp throughout the spring, Rays manager Kevin Cash said he was “a little better” on Monday, conceding, though, that there is a fair amount of room for growth between now and Opening Day:


(Audio Courtesy of Rays Radio)

On the subject of Snell, Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) put things into perspective, given there are less than two weeks left of Spring Training:

…it’s getting old to hear him keep saying he knows what he has to do to get better. With just one more long outing on Sunday vs. the Yankees and then a short one before the start of the season, the Rays would feel a lot better to see Snell, their likely No. 4 starter, pitch better.

— Kevin Kiermaier = offensive Sparkmarker. The centerfielder legged out an infield hit in his first at-bat, swiped second base, moved to third on a wild pitch, then scored on a single through the infield.

— Xavier Cedeno, making his first back-to-back appearance of the spring, retired the only batter he faced.

— In a minor league game on the back fields, Jake Odorizzi tossed six innings of one-run baseball, throwing 68 pitches (49 strikes) while surrendering just three hits and striking out seven.

The New What Next

The Rays will travel to Bradenton on Tuesday afternoon for another contest against the Pirates. Alex Cobb will get the start for the Rays, pitching opposite of Chad Kuhl. Cobb will be followed by Erasmo Ramirez and Jaime Schultz. Now that Brad Boxberger has been slowed by a lat problem, Schultz is a candidate for the Rays’ bullpen. Steven Souza Jr. and Rickie Weeks will also make the trip to Bradenton. Matt Andriese will pitch in a minor league game as Kevin Cash continues to line up the pitching rotation.

Rays 3/21/17 Starting Lineup

Smith CF
Weeks DH
Souza Jr. RF
Gillaspie 1B
Bauers LF
Franklin 2B
Casali C
Robertson SS
Leonard 3B
Cobb RHP

Tampa Bay Rays 3/20/17 pre-game notes; Boxberger unlikely to be ready for Opening Day

The Rays prepare for Grapefruit League action Monday Morning. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

The Tampa Bay Rays will play host to the Pittsburgh Pirates in Port Charlotte on Monday.

The New What Next

Looking to get back on track after a handful of command challenged outings, Blake Snell will get the start opposite Jameson Taillon. The southpaw has yet to pitch beyond three innings over his first four outings; he walked five in 2-2/3 innings his last appearance against the Orioles. Shawn Tolleson, David Carpenter, Neil Wagner, Diego Moreno and Xavier Cedeno are scheduled to take the mound after Snell.

Evan Longoria is back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday’s ball game with a stiff neck. Colby Rasmus will make his second straight appearance at DH.

Rays 3/20/17 Starting Lineup

Morrison 1B
Kiermaier CF
Longoria 3B
Miller 2B
Rasmus DH
Dickerson LF
Beckham SS
Bauers RF
Sucre C
Snell LHP

Noteworthiness

— Jake Odorizzi will get a start against the Orioles’ minor leaguers on the back fields this afternoon; he is expected to work into the fifth inning. Matt Andriese will pitch in a minor league game on Tuesday, while Tommy Hunter will do the same on Wednesday.

— Alex Colome returned from the World Baseball Classic late last night, and the recently acquired Jumbo Diaz will arrive tonight.

— Rays manager Kevin Cash says Brad Boxberger, who struggled with an oblique injury in 2016, isn’t improving from a lat injury as quickly as he or the team had anticipated, and that he’s unlikely to be ready for Opening Day.


(Audio Courtesy of Rays Radio)

Kevin Kiermaier, Rays officially announce 6-year, $53.5-Million contract extension

Kevin Kiermaier, along with agent Larry Reynolds and Rays President of Baseball Operations Matt Silverman, publicly announced his 6-year, $53.5-Million contract extension Monday morning. (Photo Credit: Marc Topkin/Tampa Bay Times)

Calling himself “the happiest man on the planet right now,” Kevin Kiermaier held a news conference to officially announce his 6-year, $53.5-Million contract extension Monday morning.


(Video Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays)

The deal, which includes a 2023 option, is broken down accordingly:

Signing bonus: $1,000,000
2017: $3,000,000
2018: $5,500,000
2019: $8,000,000
2020: $10,000,000
2021: $11,500,000
2022: $12,000,000
2023: $2,500,000 buyout or team option for $13,000,000, that can escalate based on performance during deal.

*Facts and figures (above) courtesy of Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times).

The 26 year-old centerfielder one of the best (if not the best) defensive players in all of Major League Baseball, producing a total of 13.1 fWAR (average of 4.4 a season) since breaking into the league in 2013. Kiermaier’s 44 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) over the past two seasons are the highest among any big leaguer, and he’s out paced all of baseball with an Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) of +42.3 runs. Unsurprisingly, he already has two Gold Gloves to his name, as well as a Platinum Glove.

In addition to his glove work, the breakout candidate has produced at an above-average rate at the plate. Kiermaier has collected double-digit home run (10 in 2015, 12 in 2016) and stolen base (18 in 2015, 21 in 2016) totals in each of the past two seasons, while slashing .258 BA/.313 OBP/.425 SLG/.738 OPS in 1314 plate appearances.

Rays President of Baseball Operations Matt Silverman, called the deal a win/win scenario. He later detailed the value of Kiermaier:


(Audio Courtesy of Rays Radio)

Rays manager Kevin Cash made mention of the exciting attributes Kiermaier brings to the table:


(Audio Courtesy of Rays Radio)

Noteworthiness

— I wrote about Kiermaier’s contract extension last week, prior to the public unveiling.

— Topkin also wrote about the thought process that goes into signing a long-term contract, citing Evan Longoria who is locked up through the 2023 season, and Jake Odorizzi who turned down a 6-year, $30-Million deal.

Longoria drew some criticism when he signed his first extension with Tampa Bay (a six-year, $17.5-MM deal signed just a week into his major league career), although he saw it as a chance to “have this security for myself and my family and just play and relax.”

Longoria continued,

The second contract (a six-year, $100-Million deal he is starting this season) was more personal, like, let’s weigh all the options, so a little more went into it.

The deal Odorizzi turned down would’ve covered at least two of his free agent seasons, and potentially would have kept him under team control through his age-33 season. The right-hander does not regret turning down the extension, saying:

Sometimes it boils down to, and I hate to say it, but the dollar amount. We all know the money in this game and the value of players and what your value is. And sometimes it just doesn’t match up. That’s just the circumstances.