The Nationals have acquired veteran outfielder Ryan Raburn from the White Sox, according to a club announcement from Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte. Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports that the Nats will send cash or a player to be named later back to the White Sox in exchange for Raburn, who will be assigned to Triple-A Syracuse in the Nats organization (Twitter links).
The 36-year-old Raburn, a veteran of 11 Major League seasons, was in camp with the Reds this spring but didn’t make the roster and ultimately latched on with Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate. He’s gotten off to a nice start with the Knights, hitting .277/.419/.434 through 105 plate appearances there and will give Washington some depth and, possibly, an eventual bench option against left-handed pitching. It’s worth noting that outfielder Chris Heisey recently suffered a torn biceps tendon and is waiting to learn whether he’ll require surgery to repair the injury, so Raburn could conceivably give the Nats another veteran option to fill that role on the big league club.
Despite spending the 2016 season playing his home games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field, Raburn struggled through one of the worst years of his career. In 256 plate appearances with the Rox last season, he batted just .220/.309/.404, though he did tally nine homers. Raburn has long been a potent bat against left-handed pitchers, as evidenced by his .261/.341/.487 lifetime batting line when holding the platoon advantage.
I’ll take the player
Why tho?
Because heisey is hurt and he’s a veteran flier they are getting for essentially nothing?
Hey Rick, my name is Mike and I need everything you have.
Ain’t that the truth…
Knowing these two organizations, the player to be named later will be Victor Robles.
Hey Mike, thanks for the no-hitter yesterday, and Lopez on fire, how’s eaton doing, #thanksnats, Robertson next guys!
How about a veteran-for-veteran swap, with the White Sox getting Neal Cotts back? We need another lefty in the bullpen before Dan Jennings gets hurt from overuse.
The rebuilding White Sox are at the point of the season where they will begin promoting pitching prospects from AAA Charlotte. I’d just assume see southpaw reliever Brian Clark added to their roster rather than Neal Cotts.
If the White Sox were interested in adding a veteran like Cotts they would have done so in the offseason and then used him as a potential flip candidate in the summer.
Raburn was a Jim Leyland favorite in Detroit.
Still trying to forget that.
What does it mean “a player to be named later”? Has it just not been decided or is there some reason for keeping the player’s name secret for some time?