Austin Slater’s time in Tampa Bay is over after just seven games.
The Rays designated the veteran outfielder for assignment Friday, bringing back Jonny DeLuca from the injured list to take his roster spot.
It’s becoming a familiar story for the 31-year-old. Slater went 6-for-22 (.273) with Tampa Bay, making the Rays his third organization already this season after stops with the Marlins and Mets.
That kind of movement tells you everything about how teams view Slater at this point in his career.
He’s a fourth outfielder with decent pop against lefties, but his overall production has fallen off considerably. Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors put it well: “Slater had a decent run as a lefty-mashing utilityman in San Francisco from 2020-23, but his bat has witted in recent seasons.”
“Dating back to 2024, Slater carries just a .215/.301/.308 batting line in 446 MLB plate appearances.”
Those numbers explain why he’s been bouncing around. Since leaving the Giants after 2023 – where he last played more than 89 games in a season – Slater’s now been with seven different organizations.
The Rays clearly hoped he could provide some depth and veteran presence, but 25 plate appearances was enough to see it wasn’t working out.
DeLuca’s return gives Tampa Bay a younger option in the outfield mix. The 26-year-old has shown some promise in limited action and gives them more flexibility on the roster.
For Slater, it’s back to the waiver wire. At this point, he’ll need to latch on somewhere as organizational depth and hope to work his way back into a role that fits his skillset against left-handed pitching.
