Rays add former Yankees, Mets outfielder to roster for very clear reason

The Tampa Bay Rays went 3-7 in their last 10 games, and now lead the New York Yankees by just percentage points for first place in the AL East standings. 

Manager Kevin Cash's club will face a plethora of left-handed starting pitchers in their next slate of games, and they've decided to make a change to the roster because of that. 

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Rays have selected the contract of outfielder Austin Slater. 

Slater is a 10-year Major League veteran who signed a minor league deal with the Rays last month. He hit .348/.464/.696 with five doubles, a homer, and six strikeouts in 28 plate appearances at Triple-A Durham. 

The right-handed hitter has made 49 trips to the plate this year, starting the season with the Miami Marlins before playing nine games with the New York Mets. 

Slater has hit 30 of his 45 career homers against left-handed pitching, so the Rays hope penciling him in the lineup against southpaws will bring a boost to the lineup. 

MORE: Cubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GM

Tampa Bay will face left-handers Connelly Early and Payton Tolle of the Boston Red Sox on Monday and Tuesday. 

The Los Angeles Angels, whom the Rays will face in their next series, have five lefties in their bullpen. That should give Slater more than a handful of opportunities to come off the bench as a pinch hitter. 

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