ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays solved their right-handed bat puzzle on Tuesday by acquiring Rob Refsnyder from the Indians in exchange for cash considerations.
Curt Casali and outfielders Johnny Field and Brandon Snyder were reassigned to Minor League camp.
The Rays' 25-man roster is now at 27 players. Jose De Leon is still in camp, but he had Tommy John surgery. Plus, Tampa Bay is still trying to resolve right-hander Daniel Hudson's situation; he has been told he did not make the team. So the Rays' final roster appears set, though they have not yet officially set it.
Heading into Tuesday's Grapefruit League finale, the Rays had one roster decision to make. In question was who would be the team's right-handed-hitting fifth outfielder. Snyder and Field were labeled as the in-house candidates, but the Rays acknowledged all along that they might bring in a player from outside the organization to fill the role.
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Refsnyder answers that question.
Refsnyder, 27, split the 2017 season between the Yankees and Blue Jays, appearing in 20 games at second base, 10 games in left field, six games at first base and four games in right field.
Refsnyder was claimed off waivers by the Indians in November. He appeared in 26 games for the Indians this spring, batting .191/.298/.362 with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs.
Over parts of three Major League seasons with the Yankees and Blue Jays, Refsnyder has hit .233/.306/.311 (66-for-283) with 14 doubles, two home runs and 17 RBIs. He was selected by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2012 Draft out of the University of Arizona.
With his debut in 2015, Refsnyder became the fourth South Korean-born position player in Major League history, according to Baseball Reference. He joins outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and infielders Jungho Kang and Hee-Seop Choi. He has a chance to become the third South Korean-born player in Rays history, following Jae Weong Seo and Jae Kuk Ryu.
The Rays are still trying to find a trade partner for Hudson, whom the Rays acquired from the Pirates in the Corey Dickerson trade. If they don't, they will have to pay $4.5 million of his $5.5 million salary when they release him. Pittsburgh would cover $1 million.