MLB Free Agents: Tampa Bay Rays Sign Jeff Keppinger
By Editorial Staff
The Tampa Bay Rays have reportedly reached an agreement with free agent infielder Jeff Keppinger. The deal, which is pending a Keppinger physical, is for one-year.
Keppinger spent the first half of 2011 with the Houston Astros, the club he had been with since 2009. Last summer the Astros dealt Keppingerto the San Francisco Giants.
After posting an OPS of .755 over his 169 plate appearances with the Astros, Keppinger only managed a mark of .618 over his 230 PA’s in San Fran. The 31-year-old finished the year with a combined line of .277/.300/.377 with six home runs and 20 doubles.
The Giants decided to non-tender Keppinger this offseason, and the versatile infielder hit the open market. Now, Keppinger is set to join his seventh club, the Rays.
Keppinger has manned the entire infield as well as left field over his career. Since 2010, Keppinger has spent a majority of his time playing second base.
A career .281/.332/.388 hitter, Keppinger had one of his best years in 2010 as a member of the Astros. That season Keppinger was Houston’s primary second baseman and he hit at a clip of .288/.351/.393 with six home runs, 34 doubles, 62 runs and 59 RBI’s.
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You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.