After being eliminated from the Major League playoffs on Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Rays have gotten right to work on building for 2024, inking former stolen base savant Billy Hamilton to a minor league deal.
#Rays have signed OF Billy Hamilton to a minor league contract.
If Hamilton survives the roster churn of the offseason, he'll have a chance to make the roster out of spring training.
Always a fan favorite given his electrifying speed, the 33-year-old Hamilton is an 11-year veteran. He's remembered most prominently for his time with the Cincinnati Reds (2013-2019), when he stole more than 50 bases in four consecutive seasons.
After Cincinnati, his career has taken him all over the league, with stops in Kansas City, Atlanta, the Mets, the Cubs, White Sox, Marlins and Twins. He's appeared in major league games each year since 2013 but hasn't played more than 90 games in a season since 2019. He appeared in just three games with the White Sox this season.
Never much with the bat, he's a lifetime .239 hitter with 24 home runs and 189 RBI. He has stolen 326 bases and given the rule changes on 2023, he should be able to continue to steal bases, even as his age progresses.
It's likely that the Rays, who are one of the most forward-thinking teams in the league, see his speed as a potential asset and they are always looking to get ahead.
Tampa Bay won 99 games this year and figures to be very strong again next year. Whether or not Hamilton can be a part of it remains to be seen.
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