Buyers! The Tampa Bay Rays have begun to make roster moves ahead of a playoff push, announcing Thursday morning that they have traded for left-handed pitching reliever Dan Jennings from the White Sox for first base prospect Casey Gillaspie. To make room for Jennings, Tampa Bay designated RHP Diego Moreno for assignment.
OFFICIAL: The #Rays have acquired LH Dan Jennings from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league 1B Casey Gillaspie.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 27, 2017
To make 40-man room, RH Diego Moreno has been DFA. RH Austin Pruitt is added to the taxi squad and will start Friday for #Rays in New York.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 27, 2017
Welcome to the #Rays, @LtDanJennings! pic.twitter.com/DpiaMvjUxj
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 27, 2017
With Xavier Cedeno on the DL, the Rays were interested in picking up a southpaw reliever, and this acquisition fits that. However, and interestingly enough, they are reportedly still looking at bigger names on the market, and there could be further additions to the beleaguered ‘pen.
Source says Rays are “still targeting bigger fish” for their bullpen, but viewed Jennings as an upgrade to the left side of their bullpen.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 27, 2017
Jennings, 30, has amassed 161-1/3 innings out of Chicago’s bullpen over the past three seasons. While a rather pedestrian 7.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 don’t stand out, Jennings has pitched to an impressive a 59.1% GB rate and a paltry 23.7% hard contact rate to help him perform to a 3.12 ERA/sub 4 FIP in that time. His 58.5% GB rate this season is sixth best in the American League (minimum 40 innings), which bodes well for the Rays improved infield defense.
As the incomparable Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) noted, we could expect to see the Rays turn more high-leverage double plays with Jennings on the mound.
During the last three years, Jennings’ 23 GIDP rank second among AL relief pitchers behind Shaw (26). His ground ball rate this season is 58.5 percent, according to FanGraphs, which ranks sixth in the AL (min. 40 IP). Dating back to August 1, 2015, he ranks third among AL relievers (min. 100 IP) with a 2.33 ERA (127.2-IP, 33-ER), trailing Zach Britton (1.41) of the Orioles and Andrew Miller (1.65) of the Yankees and Indians.
Jennings has been especially effective against southpaw hitters in his three seasons with the White Sox, with lefties hitting just .225 (56-for-249) against him. He’s been absolutely lethal against left-handed hitters this season though, limiting them to a .164 BA/.286 OBP/.211 SLG/.497 OPS line, and just one extra-base hit over 85 plate appearances.
Jennings also is earning just $1.4-Million in 2017 and is under team control for another two years (via arbitration), making him a nice longer-term piece for the Rays’ bullpen.
The Rays did have to trade the 24 year-old 2014 first-round draft pick Casey Gillaspie — Baseball America’s 74th overall prospect. That ranking came on the heels of a strong age-23 campaign. This season has been a struggle for Gillaspie, who has slumped to a .227 BA/.296 OBP/.357 SLG/.653 OPS line through his first 395 Triple-A plate appearances.
Solondz opined that this move opens up a fast track for Jake Bauers going into 2018.
While the Rays don’t have Logan Morrison signed beyond this year, they do have depth at first base, as Jake Bauers is younger (21 to Gillaspie who is 24) and has had a better season. Perhaps this move indicates Bauers has the inside track to being next year’s first baseman. In addition, the Rays have built up significant depth at first in the organization. Dalton Kelly and Joe McCarthy have had terrific years and are both in Double-A, while the team’s top pick this season also plays first base.