The Rays have signed left-hander Jake Brentz to a minor league deal, in keeping with the transactions tracker on his MLB.com participant profile web page. The deal presumably contains an invitation to large league Spring Coaching.
Brentz, 30, was an Eleventh-round decide by the Blue Jays again in 2013. He was subsequently traded to the Mariners and Pirates early in his minor league profession earlier than being launched by Pittsburgh in 2019 after struggling on the Triple-A stage. The Royals took an opportunity on the southpaw and signed him to a minor league deal, although he solely obtained 5 1/3 innings of labor in for the membership at Double-A earlier than the top of the season arrived. His first full season as a Royal was additional delayed by the cancelled minor league season in 2020, however the remained firmly within the Royals’ orbit as a participant pitching at their alternate website in the course of the 60-game MLB season.
He discovered sufficient success between his time on the alternate website and the following Spring Coaching that he earned a spot within the Royals’ Opening Day bullpen regardless of not having thrown a pitch at Triple-A as a member of the group. That didn’t cease Brentz from making a powerful first impression within the majors, nonetheless, as he pitched to a stable 3.66 ERA in 64 innings of labor throughout 72 video games because the Royals’ high left aid choice. The lefty’s 13.3% stroll fee held him again from turning into a very elite aid choice, however the mixture of a 27.3% strikeout fee, a 49% groundball fee, and a 97mph heater from the left aspect all made Brentz, then 26, a particularly intriguing bullpen choice who figured to be a fixture of the Royals aid corps for years to come back.
Sadly, that didn’t come to cross. As a substitute, Brentz managed simply 5 1/3 brutal innings in 2022 the place he surrendered 15 runs (14 earned) whereas strolling ten and placing out simply 9. Provided that disastrous efficiency, it was hardly a shock when Brentz finally required UCL reconstruction surgical procedure later within the season. Brentz’s predicament led the Royals to non-tender him in November, however they finally re-signed him to a two-year deal large league deal that assured him $1.9MM. Sadly, Brentz noticed his 2023 worn out by a mixture of rehabbing from the earlier yr’s elbow surgical procedure and a subsequent lat pressure.
Brentz was slowed additional in his return this yr by a hamstring pressure in March and regarded extraordinarily rusty when he lastly made it again to the mound. In 30 innings of labor between Double- and Triple-A this yr, Brentz posted a brutal 11.40 ERA in 30 innings. He struck out simply 18% of opponents whereas strolling an eye-popping 29% and hitting one other 7.9% of opponents with pitches. That full lack of management made it no shock when the Royals opted to designate Brentz for project to clear a 40-man roster spot, and he finally elected free company following the season in the hunt for alternatives elsewhere.
He’s now discovered one with the Rays, who’re broadly thought-about to be among the many absolute best organizations in baseball for pitcher growth. The match between the 2 sides is considerably apparent, as Brentz may have the chance to get his profession again on monitor in a development-focused group whereas the Rays may have the chance to assist a once-excellent lefty with apparent potential what made him such an thrilling rookie for the Royals again in 2021.
