ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays added an experienced hitter to their outfield group on Monday, selecting the contract of outfielder Austin Slater from Triple-A Durham before their series opener against the Red Sox at Tropicana Field.
The Rays signed the 33-year-old Slater, who has played parts of 10 seasons in the Majors, to a Minor League deal on May 27 after he was designated for assignment by the Mets eight days earlier.
He will play a familiar role, the job description he has held throughout his career. He’ll start against left-handed pitchers, prepare to hit against lefties off the bench and play all three spots in the outfield. That started right away, as he was in the lineup, batting second, against Red Sox lefty Connelly Early.
The right-handed-hitting Slater is a career .247/.335/.380 hitter in the Majors, with a .263/.352/.420 slash line against left-handed pitchers.
“He’s been a good Major League player for quite some time. We've seen him in the other dugout, on the field against us,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I think his skill-set right now really fits us well. … [A] nice, veteran-bat approach to add to our lineup right now.”
To make room for Slater on their active roster, the Rays optioned infielder Oliver Dunn to Triple-A. They cleared a spot for Slater on their full 40-man roster by transferring right-hander Jonathan Heasley (right elbow stress reaction) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
Slater has been with four teams since the start of Spring Training, going from the Tigers to the Mets to the Marlins before settling with the Rays. This is the eighth MLB team he’s played for in the last three years, as he was traded twice in 2024 (from the Giants to the Reds to the Orioles) and again in ‘25 (from the White Sox to the Yankees).
“I think by the end of the year I'm going to know the whole league if I keep this pace up,” Slater said, smiling. “But hopefully this is the last stop and I can help contribute to a playoff run and keep things rolling here.”
He said Tampa Bay clearly laid out a plan for him along with its offer for a Minor League contract, and that level of interest appealed to him. That plan included some swing changes that he worked on during his brief stop in Durham.
“I was working on a lot of different things down there, trying to get back to things I've done well in the past, and the coaching staff here has been great,” Slater said. “The coaching staff in Triple-A had great things for me to work on, and I’m excited to keep that going and keep that hot streak going.”
Slater said the goal was to be more direct to the baseball in his swing, with a more balanced stance in the batter’s box. The early returns were encouraging, as Slater went 8-for-23 with a home run, five doubles, five walks and six strikeouts in six games for Durham.
He played right field only for Durham, but he has experience in all three outfield spots. He started in left on Monday night, with Ryan Vilade playing right.
The Rays’ outfield depth has been reduced by recent injuries, with the right-field platoon of Jake Fraley and Jonny DeLuca both sidelined. DeLuca, also a right-handed hitter who can play around the outfield, is in line to begin a rehab assignment on Friday, while Fraley has resumed baseball activities.
Left fielder Chandler Simpson has also been limited lately due to a bruised left thumb. For the second straight day, Simpson was not in the lineup but considered fully available off the bench. Slater could spell Simpson, Cedric Mullins or Victor Mesa Jr. against left-handers.
Adding to the Rays’ appeal for Slater? He’s from Jacksonville, Fla., and still lives there. He drove across the state to attend games at the Trop as a kid and played a few travel-ball games here. Ironically, he didn’t play at Tropicana Field as a big leaguer until 2024, seven years after his debut -- but then he played here for three different teams in a four-month span.
“I’ve had quite a few teams in the last three years, so it’s fun to show up to a new clubhouse and see who I had played with in the past,” he said.