Rays acquire Forsythe, Boxberger in seven-player trade with Padres

January 22, 2014

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.-The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired infielder Logan Forsythe, right-handed pitcher Brad Boxberger and three minor leaguers-right-handed pitchers Matt Andriese and Matt Lollis and infielder Maxx Tissenbaum-from the San Diego Padres for left-handed pitcher Alex Torres and right-handed pitcher Jesse Hahn.

Forsythe (FORE-sythe), 27, hit .214 (47-for-220) in 75 games with the Padres in 2013 while battling plantar fasciitis. The year prior, he set career highs in nearly every offensive category, including games played (91), batting average (.273), hits (86), doubles (13), RBI (26), runs scored (45), on-base percentage (.343) and walks (28). The right-handed hitter owns a career .290 batting average (64-for-221) vs. left-handed pitching with a .363 on-base percentage.

In his third major league season, Forsythe started at five different positions in 2013: second base (31 starts), shortstop (nine starts), third base (eight starts), left field (seven starts) and right field (two starts). He was one of only six major league players to appear in 10 games or more at four different positions, joining teammate Alexi Amarista, Freddy Galvis (Philadelphia Phillies), Don Kelly (Detroit Tigers), Justin Turner (New York Mets) and Skip Schumaker (Los Angeles Dodgers).

Boxberger, 25, compiled a 2.86 ERA (22-IP, 7-ER) with 24 strikeouts in 18 appearances during five stints with the Padres after making his first Opening Day roster in 2013. He limited lefthanders to a .182 (6-for-33) batting average while righthanders hit .302 (13-for-43). Over his final 15 appearances, he crafted a 2.08 ERA (17.1-IP, 4-ER) with 18 strikeouts. In 42 appearances with Triple-A Tucson in 2013, he averaged 14.0 strikeouts per nine innings, the best strikeout rate in the Pacific Coast League (min. 50 IP). Over parts of two seasons in the majors, he is 0-1 with a 2.72 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 49.2 innings. Originally selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the supplemental first round (43rd overall) of the 2009 June Draft, he was one of several players traded to the Padres in December 2011 for pitcher Mat Latos.

Andriese (AND-reese), 24, made 15 starts for Double-A San Antonio and 10 starts (two relief appearances) for Triple-A Tucson in 2013 and went a combined 11-7 with a 3.27 ERA (134.2-IP, 49-ER). The Texas League midseason All-Star ranked among Padres minor league leaders in ERA (3.27, fifth), wins (11, second) and strikeouts (105, fifth). Over three minor league seasons, the righthander has gone 26-16 with a 3.18 ERA (322.1-IP, 114-ER) and 278 strikeouts to 77 walks. He was selected in the third round of the 2011 June Draft.

Lollis (LAH-liss), 23, split the 2013 season between Class-A Lake Elsinore, Tucson and San Antonio, combining to go 3-8 with a 4.62 ERA (74-IP, 38-ER) over 58 appearances. The 6'9" righthander has a career 15-33 record with a 4.79 ERA (391-IP, 208-ER) over five major league seasons after being selected in the 15th round of the 2009 June Draft.

Tissenbaum, 22, spent the 2013 season with Class-A Fort Wayne, hitting .277 (115-for-415) with a .365 on-base percentage in 111 games. He ranked as the Midwest League's second-toughest player to strike out, averaging one strikeout every 13.6 plate appearances. He was also hit by a pitch 19 times, tops in the Midwest League. Over two professional seasons, he has hit .282 with a .375 on-base percentage. He was selected in the 11th round of the 2012 June Draft.

Torres, 26, went 4-2 with a 1.71 ERA (58-IP, 11-ER) in 39 appearances over two stints with the Rays in 2013. He ranked third among AL relievers with a .159 opponents' batting average (32-for-201) and led major league relievers with a .224 opponents' slugging percentage. Torres began his season with 20 consecutive scoreless innings and allowed only one run in 34.1 innings over his first 21 appearances.

Hahn, 24, was added to the Rays 40-man roster after going 2-1 with a 2.15 ERA (67-IP, 16-ER) in 19 starts at Class-A Charlotte in 2013. He was named to the Florida State League's midseason All-Star Team. Baseball America tabbed him as having the Best Fastball in the Rays system in its Best Tools Survey following the 2012 season. The righthander has a career 2.38 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 121 innings pitched over two minor league seasons.