The Rays added some assist to their injury-plagued outfield combine, saying the acquisition of veteran David Peralta from the D-backs. Minor league catcher Christian Cerda is headed to the Diamondbacks in return.
Peralta, 35 subsequent month, has spent all 9 seasons of his Main League profession with the D-backs previous to this commerce. The veteran lefty hitter has produced a stable .248/.316/.460 batting line this season (110 wRC+), connecting on a dozen homers, 19 doubles and two triples by means of 310 plate appearances. He’s putting out at a career-high 23.9% clip and drawing walks at a roughly common 8.7% price that clocks in a proportion level increased than his profession mark.
The D-backs signed Peralta to a three-year, $22MM extension in his last season earlier than he would’ve reached free company, and he’s enjoying out the ultimate season of that contract now in 2022. Peralta is a pure rental for the Rays, then, however he’ll give them a much-needed outfield bat to plug into the lineup following accidents to Kevin Kiermaier, Manuel Margot and Harold Ramirez.
Peralta not solely gives that essential outfield reinforcement — he additionally gives the Rays with a famous increase in opposition to right-handed pitching. Tampa Bay has dealt with righties at solely a league-average clip this season, however Peralta owns a .267/.325/.498 batting line in opposition to right-handers this yr and a stout .295/.351/.492 output over the course of his profession. He’s lengthy been ineffective in opposition to left-handed pitching, nonetheless, and is batting simply .114/.261/.200 in opposition to southpaws this yr (albeit in a tiny pattern of 35 plate appearances). As such, the Rays will certainly defend him from left-handed opposition as a lot as attainable.
Whereas he’s not the slugger he was when he hit 30 homers in 2018 or the defender he was when he gained a Gold Glove in 2019, Peralta remains to be a stable platoon bat with above-average defensive rankings within the corners. Arizona has used him primarily in left discipline this season, although the Rays might favor him in proper, given Randy Arozarena’s presence in left. Peralta has a profession mark of +7 Defensive Runs Saved in 1435 innings of proper discipline (and has been a scratch defender there, per Outs Above Common). His work in left discipline is extra extremely regarded, however Peralta shouldn’t damage the Rays in both nook slot and likewise hits properly sufficient to spend time at DH in opposition to righties.
Heading to the Rays is the 19-year-old Cerda, whom the Rays signed as a world free agent again in 2019. Cerda was truly born in New York however moved to the Dominican Republic in his early teenagers and developed right into a prospect of some observe. He signed a $325K bonus with the Rays that summer season, drawing reward from Baseball America for his plus arm, agility and intriguing energy potential.
As a result of there was no minor league season in 2020, Cerda is enjoying in simply his second season of professional ball. He’s spent the season with the Rays’ Rookie-level Florida Advanced League affiliate and posted a powerful .315/.464/.519 batting line by means of his first 69 journeys to the plate. Cerda performed within the Dominican Summer time League final season and slashed .218/.366/.338 in 164 journeys to the plate. He’s caught 30 of 79 runners who’ve tried to steal in opposition to him at this level in his younger profession — a superb 38% price.
Robert Murray of FanSided first reported (via Twitter) that Peralta was headed to the Rays. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Cerda was going again to Arizona in return.
