LDN - Sports

Major League Baseball notebook: Mariners deal for Colome, Span from Rays

[May 26, 2018] The Tampa Bay Rays traded right-hander Alex Colome and outfielder Denard Span to the Seattle Mariners on Friday in exchange for minor league right-handers Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero.

The Mariners (29-20) have their eyes set on contending in the American League West despite the loss of star second baseman Robinson Cano for 80 games after his recent suspension for using banned substances. Seattle hasn't played in the playoffs since 2001 -- the longest postseason drought in the four major North American pro sports.

Colome, the Rays' closer and an All-Star in 2016, is 2-5 with a 4.15 ERA and 11 saves in 21 2/3 innings this year. He'll serve as a setup man in Seattle in front of Edwin Diaz, who has 17 saves in 19 chances and a 1.78 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. Span, 34, is hitting .238 this season, though he carries a strong on-base percentage at .364 thanks to 28 walks in 143 at-bats. He's added six stolen bases and four home runs.

In a separate deal, the Rays acquired right-hander Wilmer Font from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Peter Bayer. Font had been designated for assignment on Wednesday.

--With second baseman Dustin Pedroia activated from the disabled list, the team has designated first baseman/designated hitter Hanley Ramirez for assignment.

The move, announced by team president Dave Dombrowski, likely ends Ramirez's tenure in Boston. The struggling slugger is at the end of a four-year, $88 million deal, though a fifth year (at $22 million) would vest if he reached 497 plate appearances. He needs 302 more to reach that number.

Ramirez, 34, was hitting just .254 with six home runs and 29 RBIs in 44 games. He's hit well below his lifetime averages since joining Boston in 2015, batting .260 (422-for-1,625) with 78 home runs and 255 RBI in 431 total games.

--The Milwaukee Brewers sent struggling shortstop Orlando Arcia down to Triple-A Colorado Springs as part of a flurry of roster moves heading into the weekend, the team announced.

The 23-year-old Arcia, who became the full-time starter in 2017, is batting just .194 in 44 games this season after batting .277 with 15 home runs last season. The team is also sending down right-hander Jorge Lopez, 25, who has posted a 4.35 ERA in six relief appearances this season.

In accompanying moves, the Brewers are calling up infielder Eric Sogard from Colorado Springs and right-hander Adrian Houser from Double-A Biloxi. The Brewers also acquired Yankees backup catcher Erik Kratz, who will back up Manny Pina in Milwaukee. Previous backup Jett Bandy was designated for assignment.

--The Pittsburgh Pirates activated Joe Musgrove, with the right-hander set to make his team debut by starting against the St. Louis Cardinals.

[to top of second column]

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Alex Colome (37) delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Tampa Bay won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Musgrove had been sidelined with a strained right shoulder. He was acquired in the offseason as part of the package in the deal that sent ace pitcher Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros. Musgrove, 25, will be on the mound for the first time since pitching in relief in Game 6 of the World Series on Oct. 31.

Pittsburgh designated right-handed reliever George Kontos for assignment in a corresponding move. The 32-year-old Kontos was 2-3 with a 5.03 ERA in 21 games this season.

--Los Angeles Angels catcher Rene Rivera underwent surgery on his right knee, and the club said he will be sidelined four to six weeks.

Doctors repaired a meniscus tear in Rivera's knee. The damage was detected earlier this week during an MRI exam. Rivera, 34, is batting .259 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 22 games this season.

The Angels also announced that right-hander Matt Shoemaker underwent an MRI that displayed fluid buildup in his right forearm. Shoemaker also underwent a bone scan, and the Angels are waiting on the results. The MRI was the second Shoemaker has undergone. Nerve damage was ruled out prior to the latest exam.

--New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez started and first baseman Greg Bird is ready to be activated Saturday in what would be his first game in six weeks.

Sanchez made an appearance as a pinch-hitter on Wednesday after dealing with calf cramping since Tuesday, when he left a game against the Texas Rangers.

Bird underwent right ankle surgery and is coming back with a hot bat; Bird homered in two of his last three games at Triple-A. Right-handed hitting first baseman Tyler Austin could enter a platoon at first base with Bird. Veteran Neil Walker, a switch-hitter, could be impacted as well.

--Field Level Media

Back to top