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To bolster their infield, the Tampa Bay Rays agree to a trade with the Chicago White Sox. This comes after shortstop Ha-seong Kim went out due to an ailment in the recent series against the Sox.
On Saturday, the Rays acquired the talents of infielder Tristan Gray, per Robert Murray of Fansided. This comes just five days before the official MLB Trade Deadline.
Additionally, this occurred immediately after Kim was sent back to the injured list due to a back injury.
Gray, 29, is toiling with the Sox batting .152 and with five hits. It turns out, Gray has played with the Rays before. He first joined the league with them in 2023.
Afterward, Gray went to the Miami Marlins before moving on to the Oakland Athletics. In February, Gray was signed to a minor league contract with the White Sox after being claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Currently, the Rays are 53-51 and in fourth place in the American League Central. As of now, they are still vying for a Wild Card spot to contend for the playoffs.
The talents Gray brings to bear for the Rays
Gray is still a young talent. Not only that, he brings a versatile resume to both offense and defense.
In terms of defense, Gray can play second base, shortstop, and third base. Also, he has been known to try his hand at first base and in the outfield when given the opportunity.
Rays manager Kevin Cash had heralded Gray's ability to play multiple positions. In the minor leagues, Gray had shown flashes of power with the Triple-A Durham Bulls.
He had hit 30-plus home runs in 2022 and 2023. However, two notable areas require improvement for Gray. During his minor league stint with the Rays, Gray had struck out 30% of the time. Furthermore, there were questions about his plate discipline.
Nevertheless, the potential is there.
