Yoshi Tsutsugo‘s time with the Tampa Bay Rays has officially come to an end, as the team announced Saturday night that they traded the first baseman/outfielder to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Yoshi Tsutsugo’s time with the #Rays is officially over, as Tampa Bay has traded him to the Los Angeles #Dodgers in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.
— Steve Carney (@stevecarney) May 16, 2021
Tsutsugo, who signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Rays prior to the 2020 season, could never get going with the club. His first year saw the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sport for months. The 29-year-old returned to Japan while the game was paused to be with his family, and returned to post a slash line of .197/.314/.395 with eight homers and 24 RBI in 51 games. He hoped to improve in 2021, but continued to struggle against higher velocity. He hit just .167/.244/.218 without a homer and just 5 RBI in 26 games this before being designated for assignment on Tuesday.
To make room for Tsutsugo on their major league roster, the Dodgers transferred infielder Edwin Rios from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.
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.
