The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired infielder Eric Sogard from the Toronto Blue Jays, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan and other media reports:
Infielder Eric Sogard has been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, league sources tell ESPN. Multiple teams were on him but Toronto ultimately settled on a deal with Tampa Bay.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2019
As Passan indicates, a number of teams were thought to be interested in Sogard, including the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants, but the Rays were aggressive in pursuing another productive bat to a lineup that has struggled to produce runs.
Sogard is in the midst of a career year and an unprecedented power surge. Through his first 73 games, the 33-year-old is slashing .300/.363/.477 with 10 homers and a 125 OPS+, asserting himself as an attractive trade target.
Although he rates mostly as an average defender, Sogard can play multiple infield positions, and he offers a different look for a Rays team that has not gotten good production from shortstop Willy Adames while also losing both Yandy Diaz and Daniel Robertson to the Injured List.
The Rays were 59-48 entering play on Sunday afternoon, but they have fallen behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League East and are currently in fourth in the Wild Card standings.
One of the reasons Tampa Bay has struggled is due to its offensive futility. The Rays are ranked ninth in the AL in runs scored and 10th in terms of OPS.
Sogard is hardly the prolific hitter who can instantly transform the lineup, but he has been a dependable hitter who has excellent numbers as a leadoff man.
Particularly given their injuries and Adames' struggles at the plate, Sogard is an excellent “buy low” acquisition for the Rays.
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