Tampa Bay Rays: Kurt Suzuki could be answer to catching woes
Production at the catcher position for the Tampa Bay Rays has been non-existent this year. Would they entertain trading for Kurt Suzuki?
Kurt Suzuki is 36 years-old. Kurt Suzuki has been in the league for 14 years. Kurt Suzuki is bad at throwing out attempted base stealers. Yeah, but Kurt Suzuki can handle a pitching staff and is a former World Champion.
The Tampa Bay Rays are in need of some catching depth. Mike Zunino is their starting catcher and he is hitting a putrid .107 on the year. True, he has four home runs (of his six hits, in 21 games) but this is not going to cut it come playoff time.
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Zunino has no playoff experience under his belt. When the Rays took the Houston Astros to the brink of elimination last year in the ALDS, it was catcher Travis d’Arnaud who hit .133 during the series.
Backing up Zunino is Michael Perez. He is hitting .167 and does not have an extra-base hit in his seventeen games played this year.
These numbers are anemic, and while the Rays have done well to win games without any offensive contribution whatsoever from the catching position, come playoff time, this will have to change.
Have you met Kurt Suzuki? Suzuki is having a bit of a letdown year, following his 17 home run performance last year as a part-time player. This year he has just one long ball while hitting .255.
What does he have that neither Zunino nor Perez can bring to the table? Playoff experience. This can not be understated, as seen by the dismal performance by d’Arnaud last year for the Rays.
Tampa Bay should be looking at bringing in some help at the catcher position as the trade deadline approaches, and if the Washington Nationals continue to fall out of playoff contention, Suzuki may become available.
He’ll be a free agent at the end of the year and is making just $6M this season. Suzuki has postseason experience and has called games for two of the best pitchers in the league with the Nationals. Spending a few extra dollars for the playoff leadership is worth it alone, not to mention he’ll provide more offense than what the Rays are getting now.
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I’m thinking Tampa Bay should give this guy a second look in the trade market.