Tampa Bay Rays Sign Veteran Reliever

He finally landed a deal with a team.

The Tampa Bay Rays are signing free agent pitcher Kyle Crick to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training.

#Rays are signing RHP Kyle Crick to a MiLB deal per @TBTimes_Rays. He made 14 apps last year with CHW. Lots of strikeouts (28.8%) and walks (16.7%), 4.02 ERA

FB sits 91-94 and he has a hammer of a slider. It gets more sweep than almost any pitch in MLB:
pic.twitter.com/zxBlthf9PK

— Rays Metrics (@RaysMetrics) February 11, 2023

Crick elected free agency earlier this offseason after being removed from the Chicago White Sox's 40-man roster. He held a throwing showcase for interested teams on January 30, and he obviously impressed the Rays enough for them to bring him on for the 2023 season.

The thirty-year-old made just 14 relief appearances last season for the White Sox before his season was cut short due to right elbow inflammation. He finished his season with a 4.02 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts over 15.2 innings of work.

For his career, Crick holds a solid 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 201 strikeouts across 187.1 innings and 194 relief appearances. He's spent time with the San Francisco Giants, four seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and one with the White Sox.

It's not really known whether he is fully healthy entering spring training, but he'll get a chance to earn a role in the Rays' bullpen for this season.

It's an intriguing signing for a Rays team that has a knack for turning seemingly unknown relievers into valuable assets.
Photo Credit:  Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports