Rays trade cash or a player to Cardinals for 15.19 ERA righty reliever

The Tampa Bay Rays have had a knack for getting the most out of pitchers in recent years, and they're taking up a big challenge recently.

While the Rays are 2.5 games back in the AL East, they're adding a right-handed reliever in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals.

As the Cardinals announced, the Rays are sending cash or a player to be named later in exchange for 15.19 ERA right-handed reliever Chris Roycroft.

Rays trade cash or a player to Cardinals for Chris Roycroft

"We have traded RHP Chris Roycroft to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a player to be named later or future considerations," the Cardinals announced.

This roster move from the Rays is an interesting one, as Roycroft was recently designated for assignment by the Cardinals, and the Rays are now swooping in nearly a week later to land the right-handed reliever.

Roycroft is 29 years old, and in 5.1 innings of work this season, he has a 15.19 ERA with four strikeouts and a ridiculously high 3.94 WHIP.

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In his MLB career, he has a 6.41 ERA in 60.1 innings pitched, with his best season coming in 2024 when he posted a 4.19 ERA in 27 appearances for the Cardinals.

In Triple-A this season, he had a 5.84 ERA in 23 games, and he had a 4.82 ERA in 35 games the year prior. But, back in 2024, his best season by far, he posted a 2.17 ERA in 36 Triple-A appearances for the Cardinals.

If the Rays can get Roycroft back to his 2024 self, they might have a decent reliever on their hands in the 29-year-old veteran right-hander acquired from the Cardinals.

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