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Rays to re-sign veteran .715 OPS outfielder after opting out one week ago
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- Rays to re-sign veteran .715 OPS outfielder after opting out one week ago
Rays to re-sign veteran .715 OPS outfielder after opting out one week ago originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Tampa Bay Rays lost a player on a minor league contract last week due to an opt-out clause, as veteran outfielder Austin Slater sought an MLB deal.
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While the Rays might not need Slater as depth, he was nice to have in reserve in case of an injury on the big-league roster. But there was a real chance he'd leave for an MLB deal.
However, according to Robert Murray of Fansided.com , after failing to find an MLB deal, Slater has re-signed with the Rays on a minor league contract.
Rays to re-sign Austin Slater on minor league deal
"Veteran outfielder Austin Slater and the Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement on a Minor League contract, sources tell FanSided," Murray reports.
Slater is coming back to Tampa Bay , and not on a Major League deal, like the one he was looking for when he opted out of his Rays' contract a week ago.
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Instead, he's back in Tampa Bay on a minor league contract, and he drew interest. But the Chicago White Sox traded for Tommy Pham , addressing their outfield depth need, and no other team stepped up to sign him.
Slater is back with the Rays and could now factor into the team's outfield depth for the postseason and the final stretch this September to win the AL East for Tampa Bay.
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He has a .715 OPS in his big league career, and a .724 OPS this season with the Rays in seven games played. Slater might not be a game-changer, but as a depth outfielder with solid defense, the Rays could do a lot worse.
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Considering his .860 OPS in Triple-A as well, there's reason to like this move from the Rays. There is some uncertainty about when, and if, he'll return to the big-league roster.
But even just as insurance, the Rays have a quality veteran outfielder waiting in the wings whom they can feel somewhat confident in if they're in a pinch.
