3 Rays with assignment clauses are pursuing their options
PORT CHARLOTTE — Japanese pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa decided late Saturday night to see if he can get a major-league job elsewhere rather than join the Rays’ Triple-A team in Durham.
Uwasawa was the most prominent of three players told by the Rays they won’t make the opening-day roster who have assignment clauses in their minor-league contracts that could get them to another team.
The other two, catcher Rob Brantly and pitcher Burch Smith, told the Rays earlier Saturday they wanted to use the clause, also called an upward mobility clause. Uwasawa’s decision came close to the 11:59 p.m. Saturday deadline.
When they did, the Rays sent an email to the other teams saying the player is available. If another team agrees over the next 48 hours to give the player a 26-man roster spot, the Rays then have 48 hours to decide whether to add him to their roster or trade him to the other team for a token return (like $1). If multiple teams are interested, the Rays get to pick.
“I’m going to talk to my agent and see what other teams are thinking about me and what the Rays are thinking about me,” Uwasawa said earlier Saturday, via team interpreter Taishi Terashima.
“I really like it here and the way they go about things,” Smith, a 33-year-old right-hander, said before invoking the clause. “I want to be in the big leagues. If that’s somewhere else, maybe that’s the way it works.”
Brantly is looking but said he had an “amazing” time in camp with the Rays and “I feel like I am in such a good spot here, too.”
Though Uwasawa, a three-time All-Star with Nippon, signed a minor-league deal in part for the opportunity to work with Tampa Bay’s highly regarded pitching coaches, he also wants to be in the big leagues, which was part of his current debate.
“Even from the offseason, my goal was to make the team on the opening roster, but I couldn’t make it. It is what it is, and there’s nothing I can do right now,” he said.
“If I decide to stay here, I’m going to just keep getting better. That’s not going to change.”
Game report: Orioles 6, Rays 4
Zach Eflin was pleased with his six-inning tune-up for Thursday’s opening-day start, allowing a pair of home runs but only three other hits and one walk while striking out eight. “Everything feels good, and I’m lined up and ready to go,” he said. …. Leftfielder Richie Palacios made the play of the game, a running and diving catch with the bases loaded and two outs in the second. … Randy Arozarena, playing center, hit an opposite-field homer in the eighth; he is 6-for-35 (.171) for the spring with four home runs.
Game report: Rays 5, Braves 2
Aaron Civale had a strong outing against a lineup of Braves regulars, allowing one run (an Ozzie Albies homer in the first), three hits and a walk while striking out six. … Francisco Mejia hit a two-run, go-ahead double off Braves ace Spencer Strider in the fourth. … Curtis Mead had a pair of RBI singles.
Miscellany
Harold Ramirez wore pitcher Erasmo Ramirez’s No. 61 in the Port Charlotte game after his No. 43 accidentally was sent to North Port, where Erasmo was pitching and wearing a second No. 61 jersey. …. With a crowded pitching staff at Durham, the Rays traded non-roster reliever Zac Houston to the Phillies, where he should have a better opportunity. … Manager Kevin Cash was away from camp Saturday for a personal matter, so bench coach Rodney Linares managed the game against the Braves at North Port and third-base coach Brady Williams the home game against the Orioles. … The Rays play their final spring games Sunday against the Tigers in Lakeland, Monday against the Phillies in Clearwater and Tuesday against the Tigers at Tropicana Field, then will work out Wednesday in advance of Thursday’s season opener against the Blue Jays.
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