Rays send Siri to Mets for reliever Eric Orze

TAMPA, Fla. -- At the plate, on the bases and especially in center field, Jose Siri occasionally flashed his enormous potential over 2 1/2 seasons with the Rays. He hit 25 home runs in 2023 and was among the most valuable defensive players in baseball this past season. He delivered clutch hits and made game-changing plays in the outfield, all with his signature blend of style and flair.

But Siri’s upside came with extended slumps at the plate, bouts of inconsistency and an occasional lack of hustle. Rather than giving him a raise next season in his first year of arbitration eligibility, the Rays traded Siri to the Mets on Tuesday for 27-year-old reliever Eric Orze.

TRADE DETAILS

Rays receive: RHP Eric Orze
Mets receive: OF Jose Siri

Moving Siri creates an opening in center field that could be filled by Jonny DeLuca or perhaps outfielder Jake Mangum, who was added to Tampa Bay’s 40-man roster on Tuesday afternoon following an excellent season with Triple-A Durham.

The Rays added Mangum to their roster about three hours before the deadline to protect eligible Minor Leaguers from the Rule 5 Draft. On Monday, they selected left-handed pitching prospects Ian Seymour (No. 17 in Tampa Bay’s system) and Joe Rock (No. 22) to protect them as valuable parts of their rotation depth.

Siri, 29, showed his impressive raw power this year by slugging 18 homers, and his defense -- a priority for the Rays in center field -- remained elite. He led the Rays with 12 game-winning RBIs and tied for second among Major League outfielders with 16 outs above average, according to Statcast. But he slashed just .187/.255/.366 while striking out 170 times over 448 plate appearances in a career-high 130 games this year, and he was benched twice for a lack of hustle.

Orze, 27, joins the Rays with a remarkable back story, having beaten cancer twice. The rookie is also coming off a strong season for Triple-A Syracuse, as he put together a 2.92 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings over 43 appearances. He gave up four runs in two Major League appearances for the Mets in July. The right-hander, primarily a fastball-changeup pitcher, will provide additional depth in an already-stacked Rays bullpen.

To make room for Mangum, the Rays designated lefty reliever Richard Lovelady for assignment. Tampa Bay acquired Lovelady, 29, from the Cubs last May and saw him put together a 3.77 ERA with two saves, 20 strikeouts and nine walks in 28 2/3 innings over 28 appearances.

The Rays seemed likely to part with at least one left-handed reliever, as they entered the offseason with Colin Poche, Garrett Cleavinger, Mason Montgomery, Lovelady and the versatile Tyler Alexander. They have further left-handed depth on their 40-man roster in Jacob Lopez, Seymour and Rock.

Meanwhile, the addition of Mangum is an intriguing one, especially considering how much the Rays’ outfielders struggled to generate offense this past season and the decision to deal away Siri. Tampa Bay’s outfielders slashed a combined .218/.292/.366 with 55 home runs, 175 RBIs and 74 stolen bases this year.

The 28-year-old Mangum slashed .317/.358/.442 with six homers, 30 doubles, 56 RBIs and 20 steals in 104 games for Durham, becoming the first Bulls player to win the International League batting title since Jake Cronenworth did so in 2019. Mangum was one of only five players at the Triple-A level to record at least 30 doubles and at least 20 steals.

That was a step forward for Mangum, but he’s been a productive player throughout his time in the Minors. The switch-hitting center fielder has put together a career .296/.349/.424 slash line over five Minor League seasons since the Mets selected him out of Mississippi State University in the fourth round of the 2019 Draft.

The Rays acquired Mangum from the Marlins last December as the player to be named later in the deal that sent Vidal Bruján and Calvin Faucher to Miami for prospects Erick Lara and Andrew Lindsey.