Well, there’s your resolution of the Tampa Bay Rays’ surprising decision to DFA outfielder Corey Dickerson after a solid 2017 campaign.
TRADE: Pirates acquire OF Corey Dickerson from the Rays in exchange for pitcher Daniel Hudson, minor league infielder Tristan Gray and cash considerations. pic.twitter.com/evvi5sMQkV
— Pirates (@Pirates) February 22, 2018
Gray, 21, was a 13th round selection by the Pirates last year, but he did hit very well in his pro debut, and is not a total non-prospect (though he’s not considered a significant prospect at this time). Hudson is set to make $5.5 million in 2018, so I’m assuming the cash considerations the Pirates sent to the Rays are ample, otherwise … what?
I suppose the Rays could try to spin Hudson off now or during the season as a trade asset, but then, they could have done that with Dickerson, too. So, again, I’m assuming the Pirates sent a good bit of cash.
As for those Pirates, they get to slide Dickerson into the outfield now in a maybe-slightly-less rebuilding year to see if he can be a valuable trade piece by the deadline, or maybe even a guy they want to hold onto after this season. He’ll make just shy of $6 million this year, and can be controlled via arbitration for one more season after this.
Kinda feels like the Pirates got a guy who hit .282/.325/.490 and was worth 2.6 WAR last year for nothing. It’s not going to move the needle on their competitiveness this season, but it’s a nice piece to have, again, in case maybe they want to move him later on.
This was all just so bizarre by the Rays, and the Pirates seem to have benefited.