The Tampa Bay Rays made a pair of deals Wednesday while at the Winter Meetings in San Diego, moving reliever Brooks Raley to the New York Mets in exchange for minor-league pitcher Keyshawn Askew, and picking up right-hander Kevin Kelly from the Colorado Rockies for cash considerations.
Raley, who signed a two-year deal with the Rays last off-season, appeared in 60 games out of the bullpen in 2022, going 1-2 with six games and a 2.38 earned run average. the 34-year-old has made 153 big league appearances in five seasons, with a career record of 4-8 and a 4.64 ERA.
Askew was drafted in the 10th round of the 2021 draft by the Mte s out of Clemson University. He made 18 appearances, including eight starts, between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn in 2022, amassing a perfect 5-0 record and a 2.44 ERA. He struck out 92 batters in 69 1/3 inning while issuing just 28 walks.
Kelly, who the Rockies had selected in the Rule 5 Draft Wednesday from the Cleveland Guardiuans, spent 2022 between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, compiling a record of 5-2 with a 2.04 ERA in 48 appearances, striking out 75 and walking 22 in 57 1/3 innings. Because he was selected in the Rule 5 Draft, Kelly must remain on the Rays active major-league roster for an entire season or be offered back to Cleveland.
The roster remains at the 40-man limit, with at least one more move to be announced in order to be able to add pitcher Zach Eflin, who agreed to a three-year, $40 million free agent deal last week.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
