Staff writer, with Reuters and AP, TAMPA, Florida
The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday acquired Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations to fill the roster after All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe was placed back on the injured list.
Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday after hitting .216/.273/.333 in 28 games for Atlanta, with most of his work coming as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He joins Tampa Bay as a versatile fourth outfielder option.
To make room for Fairchild on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (forearm strain) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
Photo: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / USA Today
Twenty-nine-year-old Fairchild has played for five MLB teams and can play all three outfield spots. He has appeared in 277 major league games across six teams — the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Cincinnati Reds, the San Francisco Giants, the Seattle Mariners, the Braves and now the Rays.
Known for his speed, Fairchild can play all three outfield spots. He has slightly above-average results against left-handed pitching, but overall is not an offense producer. Fairchild is out of minor league options and must remain on Tampa Bay’s active roster.
Fairchild was one of three Taiwanese-American MLB players that CPBL commissioner Tsai Chi-chang was trying to convince to join Taiwan for next year’s World Baseball Classic.
While two-time All-Star Corbin Carroll turned down the offer, saying he wanted to play for the US, the Chicago Cubs’ Jonathon Long has shown serious interest, Tsai said last week after his nine-day trip to the US.
Although he has not yet met in person with Fairchild, whose mother moved from Taiwan when she was 12, Tsai said he would talk with the player soon about playing for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic, which is to start in March next year.
Additional reporting by CNA