Ex-Red Sox Outfielder Reportedly Lands With AL East Rival Looking To Get Back To Big Leagues
The Tampa Bay Rays certainly are busy despite the 2023 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline already being behind us.
Tampa Bay -- who currently is in second place in the American League East with a 66-45 record -- is one of the contenders expected to battle for a World Series title this season and is continuing to add more veteran depth. The Rays reportedly signed former Boston Red Sox outfielder Raimel Tapia to a minor league deal Friday afternoon, according to the MiLB Transaction Log.
Tapia has plenty of American League East experience and likely will be a solid depth piece for the Rays if he can make his way back to the big leagues shortly. The 29-year-old signed as a free agent with the Red Sox this past offseason to a minor league deal and impressed so much in spring training that he made the big league club in time for Opening Day. Tapia was a very serviceable big league depth outfield option for Boston and in 39 games slashed .264/.333/.368 to go along with one home run, six stolen bases, and 10 RBIs before being designated for assignment to make room for Christian Arroyo on the roster.
The 29-year-old quickly landed with the Milwaukee Brewers but didn't have as much success. In 20 games Tapia slashed .173/.267/.288 before being designated for assignment. Tapia now will look to work his way back up to the big leagues with the Rays this season. The outfielder spent the 2022 season with the Toronto Blue Jays so he now will be playing for his third American League East club over the last two seasons.
It's unclear what role he will play in Tampa Bay, but it wouldn't be too surprising to see him at the big league level in the not-so-distant future.
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