TORONTO -- Oliver Drake's seemingly endless tour around the Major Leagues continued on Friday afternoon, when the Blue Jays traded him to the Rays for cash considerations.
Drake was designated for assignment earlier in the week after Toronto acquired left-hander Clayton Richard in a deal with San Diego. It marked the eighth time since the start of 2017 that Drake had been DFA'd and the second time it was done by the Blue Jays.
The 31-year-old pitched for five clubs in 2018, having played with the Twins, Angels, Indians, Brewers and Blue Jays. The Blue Jays reacquired Drake in late November by claiming him off waivers from the Rays and now Tampa Bay has returned the favor.
Toronto currently does not have any open spots on its 40-man roster. That's a little problematic because the Blue Jays still have some holes to fill, particularly in the bullpen, but Toronto could get around that by offering Minor League deals or designating another player for assignment.