Hot-Stove: Rays Pick Up Ben Zobrist’s $7.5 MM Option, Cubs Fire Rick Renteria

The Rays officially announced that they have exercised their one-year, $7.5MM club option on All-Star utility-man Ben Zobrist.

Rays Sign RHRP Michael Kohn

The Rays have inked a one-year contract with RHRP Michael Kohn, the club announced today. Kohn, 28, elected free agency after being designated for assignment and outrighted in early September by the Los Angeles Angels. He posted a 2-1 record and a 3.04 ERA/4.27 FIP/9.89 K9/7.61 BB9 in 23-2/3 innings of work with the Angels last season.

Rays 9/14/14 Lineup, Etc

Rays 9/14/14 Lineup: Zobrist CF Guyer LF Longoria DH Myers RF Escobar SS Forsythe 2B Loney 1B Rodriguez 3B Casali C Colome RHP Noteworthiness Don’t forget to check out our series preview. If you already have, make it a two’fer. Derek Jeter enters the Trop in the throes of an 0-24 streak at the plate …

The New What Next: Rays vs. Yankees — Part Six

The Tampa Bay Rays made their way home on the heels of series win against the Toronto Blue Jays. They are set to welcome the New York Yankees into Tropicana Field, for the final series of the 2014 season. The Rays dropped two of three against the Yankees in the three-game set that directly preceded their excursion north of the border. Tampa Bay held a 4-0 lead into the eighth inning in the finale of that series, when the bullpen collapsed — the relievers allowed five runs in 1-2/3 innings for a 5-4 loss.