Diamondbacks nontender outfielder Kyle Lewis
The Diamondbacks nontendered outfielder Kyle Lewis on Friday, the only player on the club’s 40-man roster not to be tendered prior to the evening’s deadline. Lewis is now a free agent.
Lewis, 28, a former Rookie of the Year winner for the Seattle Mariners whom the Diamondbacks acquired in a trade one year ago to the day, hit just .157 (8 for 51) with one homer and 21 strikeouts.
Lewis was an offensive force at Triple-A Reno, where he hit .371/.457/.641 with 17 homers in 293 plate appearances but received limited opportunity with the Diamondbacks, who had a crowded outfield situation, including several more rangy defenders.
Lewis, whom the Diamondbacks acquired in exchange for outfielder/catcher Cooper Hummel, was eligible for arbitration and projected to earn $1.61 million by MLB Trade Rumors.
The Diamondbacks, who had already cut ties with another arb-eligible player, reliever Austin Adams, who elected free agency last week after being removed from the 40-man roster, will proceed with six others who are arbitration eligible: first baseman Christian Walker (projected salary $12.7 million), closer Paul Sewald ($7.3 million), right-hander Zac Gallen ($10.9 million), relievers Ryan Thompson ($1.3 million), Kevin Ginkel ($1.4 million) and Joe Mantiply ($1 million).
They were among the other 39 players remaining on the club’s 40-man roster to have been tendered contracts.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks nontender outfielder Kyle Lewis
