PETERSBURG, ST. — It seemed unlikely, but President of Baseball Operations Eric Neander has announced that the Rays will hire starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow and the team to raise his salary to record highs. He maintained for months that he was able and willing to keep his record $25 million salary.
But interest in the tall right-hander with outstanding ability and a history of injury and uncertainty is predictably high, with the Rays seeing a solid return potential that could save them millions of dollars for the future while remaining competitive. was found. .
After several weeks of discussions with Dodgers officials, including several former colleagues in Tampa Bay (including at country singer Brad Paisley’s 100-acre farm during the recent winter meetings in Nashville), the Rays A few days ago, they sealed what they felt was the best deal for them. .
Saturday, it finally became official.
The Rays traded Glasnow, outfielder Manuel Margot, and $4 million to Los Angeles for two promising young players who could serve as capable replacements: starter Ryan Pepiott and outfielder Johnny DeLuca. Saved $33 million. As part of the deal, the Dodgers signed Glasnow to a four-year, $111.5 million extension.
“There was a lot of interest and that in itself forced us to be generous,” Neander said Saturday. “From there, the opportunity to get a very strong return of the two players we have back in the mix is going to be given to us sooner rather than later and we’re going to continue to try, so it’s worth making the trade-off. It gave me the confidence to remain as competitive as possible not only next year but beyond. ”
Pepiott, 26, is a hard-throwing right-hander who will likely join Zach Eflin’s rotation. DeLuca, 25, is a right-handed hitter with speed and power who, like Margot, can play all three spots in the outfield.
Neander said both players needed to earn a spot and warned them not to get their hopes up. But it seems clear that the Rays expect them to make significant and immediate contributions.
“This particular deal was one that we felt was not only the best return for us, but also the best fit,” Neander said. “I’ve lost some confidence in the accomplishments of Tyler and Manuel, but they’re two players who seem well-positioned to step in here in the short term and keep us in a very competitive space. have been acquired.”
At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Pepiott has a repertoire that includes a changeup that some evaluators consider elite, along with a fastball that reaches the high 90s and an improved slider. He was twice ranked in Baseball America’s top 100 prospects.
He made his major league debut in 2022 and was scheduled to be in the Dodgers’ rotation in 2023 before being sidelined by torticollis in late spring. He didn’t make it to the majors until mid-August, pitching in eight games (three starts) and posting a record of 2 wins, 1 loss, and a 2.14 ERA.
“He’s big, strong and athletic,” Neander said. “Excellent changeup. Fastball that plays beyond his velocity. He can throw three pitches with a developing breaking ball, so he has a good chance of being a starting pitcher in the major leagues. And he has a very good chance of being a major league starting pitcher. I think it’s somewhere nearby.
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“I think the big thing for him and for him over the last few years is some adjustments and things that have been made over the last 12 months that have really helped his command and strike-throwing. “The content is in a pretty good place, but I think the way he throws strikes has shown meaningful progress, whether it’s mental, mechanical adjustments, whatever.
“We have three pitches on the menu that have some depth, we have good ingredients, and once the strike throws start to really take off, it gives us a lot of room to make an impact in the rotation,” Neander continued.
DeLuca, a 25th-round pick, made his way from Double-A to Triple-A to the majors last season, appearing in 24 games with the Dodgers and batting .262. He hit 19 home runs in total and continued to improve at each level.
“An exceptional athlete, a well-rounded skill set that helps him win games in a variety of ways,” Neander said. “The bats continue to get better, they continue to rise, but someone who can beat you in the batter’s box, who can beat you with his feet on the bases, and certainly who can beat you defensively,” You can. We got a snapshot of that last year.”
Neander said the Rays change their roster frequently, but trading two players who have been key to their recent success was especially difficult. “They are extraordinary people who have helped us win many games,” he said.
Neander said an agreement began to take shape in the week before the winter meetings. Further conversation arose when the Rays were invited by Los Angeles team officials to a social event hosted by Paisley, an avid Dodgers fan.
“Brad has made it clear that he’s a fan of Tyler,” Neander said. “We tried to take advantage of it as much as possible. To accomplish something like this, you have to do everything in your power.”
Especially in the same week that Los Angeles signed Shohei Ohtani to a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract, the small-market Rays had to offer $4 million to the big-budget Dodgers. There seemed to be a certain irony in that.
But given that the market seemed limited for Margot ($10 million annual salary, $2 million buyout with 2025 option), Neander said, “To put this whole thing together, we need to do that.” “It was,” he said. The Dodgers currently receive $2 million, with the remaining $2 million only available if they decline the option.
Glasnow’s contract extension includes a review of how he receives his $25 million in 2024 ($10 million signing bonus, $15 million annual salary), and his annual salary from 2025-27 is $30 million. After that, he will be given either a $30 million team option or a $21.5 million player option. Getting everything resolved and approved was the main reason for the delay in announcing the deal by Saturday.
Neander said it was important to put Glasnow, a Southern California native, in a good situation. The pitcher said he is grateful for the opportunity he had with the Rays and that he enjoyed it.
“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Glasnow told the Tampa Bay Times. “Playing baseball is the most fun I’ve ever had and I’ve learned so much and made so many friends over the past six years. I’m also really excited to be back in my hometown and playing for my local team. . The Dodgers’ organization is very impressive.”
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