The Tampa Bay Rays have selected the contract of local product RHP Ryan Garton to add an extra arm to an already overused bullpen.
To make room for Garton on both the 25 and 40-man rosters, the team unexpectedly optioned INF Tim Beckham to Triple-A Durham, and designated OF Jake Goebbert for assignment. Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times; Twitter link) it appears that with Steve Pearce getting more time at second base, the Rays felt Taylor Motter was better fit as a backup middle infielder than Beckham.
Garton, who was a 34th-round draft pick in 2012, has pitched well in his first season with Triple-A Durham, going 1-0 with a 2.38 ERA/2.04 FIP in 14 appearances, collecting two saves and an impressive 29 strikeouts in 22-2/3 innings of work (11.52 K/9). He has thrown multiple innings on four different occasions — including a four inning appearance on May 7 — so he can give the bullpen some length.
Garton is the second new reliever added to the ‘pen in the the last three days, as RHP Tyler Sturdevant was selected Monday and made his Major League debut in Tuesday afternoon’s game in Miami. The team will go with an eight-man bullpen for the time being, or until the front five starters can show that they can go deeper into games.