San Francisco Giants

Rays acquire catcher Erik Kratz from Giants for player to be named or cash

Published May. 17, 2019 9:35 a.m. ET

Tampa Bay Rays press release

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired catcher Erik Kratz and cash considerations from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Kratz will join the Rays onFriday in New York, and catcher Anthony Bemboom will be placed on the 10-day injured list with a left knee sprain to make room on the active roster. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Aaron Slegers was designated for assignment.

Kratz, 38, was designated for assignment by the Giants on May 13. He made their Opening Day roster, batted .125 (4-for-32) over 15 games (9 starts) and was placed on the 10-day injured list from May 1-10 due to a left hamstring strain. He was acquired by the Giants from the Milwaukee Brewers on March 24 in exchange for minor league infielder C.J. Hinojosa.

Last season with Milwaukee, Kratz became the oldest player to make his major league postseason debut since Lave Cross (39) for the Philadelphia A’s in 1905. He also became the second-oldest catcher in postseason history to record three hits in a game, going 3-for-4 in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Colorado. He appeared in nine of Milwaukee’s 10 postseason games, and was the starting catcher in seven of those games.

Kratz was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 29th round (866th overall) of the 2002 June Draft out of Eastern Mennonite (Va.) University. He made his major league debut on July 17, 2010 at age 30 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and has spent parts of 10 consecutive seasons in the majors since then. The Rays will be his ninth major league club and 14th different organization. He has batted .208/.256/.360 (174-for-836) with 31 home runs and 101 RBI in 310 major league games.

The veteran backstop has also appeared in 981 career minor league games, hitting .257/.334/.443 with 217 doubles, five triples, 127 home runs and 483 RBI. He was named an International League midseason All-Star in three consecutive seasons (2009-11).