The Tampa Bay Rays are busy this week, needing only one win out of a four-game sequence with the New York Yankees to assert the AL East Division title and the No. 1 seed within the American League postseason.
Whereas that’s taking place, although, a Rays outfielder is in search of a brand new workforce.
The Rays had designated outfielder Jake Fraley for task on Sunday. Meaning he’s faraway from the 40-man roster and has to move by way of waivers.
Apparently no workforce claimed Fraley, however he didn’t need to report back to Triple-A Durham (the place the season is technically over anyway). Since Fraley is a veteran, he can formally reject that task and turn into a free agent.
In line with Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Instances, that’s what Fraley has finished:
OF Jake Fraley, who was DFA’d by #Rays Sunday, cleared waivers and rejected an task to Triple-A Durham, so he will get an early begin on free company.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) September 22, 2026
The Rays weren’t planning on having Fraley for the stretch run, which is why they DFA’d him anyway.
Nevertheless it does go away them one much less little bit of depth going ahead towards October.
Jake Fraley With Rays
Fraley had joined the Rays in Nov. 2025 and was anticipated to have a attainable function as a left-handed bat.
This season merely didn’t go how Fraley would’ve hoped, although. In 88 at bats, he had 19 hits (.216 common), which included seven doubles and two house runs. Fraley had a .652 OPS with Tampa Bay, which was his worst for a season in additional than half a decade.
Fraley performed in three video games for the Rays this month earlier than he was designated for task, and he was a mixed 0-for-6 in these video games with 4 strikeouts.
Jake Fraley Profession
Fraley, 31, was initially a second-round choose of the Rays again within the 2016 MLB Draft out of LSU.
He didn’t make the majors with the Rays, although, as a substitute debuting with the Seattle Mariners in 2019.
It actually took Fraley till 2022 to point out one thing, when he had an .812 OPS (12 house runs) in 68 video games for the Cincinnati Reds.
He then hit 15 homers the next yr with a .783 OPS whereas additionally stealing 21 bases in 26 makes an attempt.
Fraley had a .716 OPS the subsequent season, with simply 5 homers in 116 video games, however he did steal one other 20 bases.
Fraley began to wrestle a bit in 2025, hitting simply .232 in 67 video games with the Reds earlier than they moved on from him. The Atlanta Braves picked Fraley up for 9 video games, through which he went 7-for-23 (.304), however they didn’t hold him into the offseason and past.
That’s how he ended up with Tampa Bay, which probably loved the thought of Fraley because the lefty aspect of a possible platoon.
However Fraley didn’t hit sufficient and wasn’t accessible sufficient to make it price it for the Rays.
Now, he heads to free company as a veteran bat who will probably get an invitation to Spring Coaching however should do properly wherever his new environment are to probably earn a job.
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