ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg has issued the following statement after the Houston Astros’ hiring of James Click:

“We wish James and his family well, and we thank him for his 15 years of great work with our organization. The departure of another talented, senior Rays executive is difficult. That difficulty is compounded by the timing of the departure, only days from the opening of spring training. A large number of former Rays staffers now populate senior team positions across the league. Most recently, two of the past three World Series winning teams, against whom we compete directly, have reached beyond their organizations and into our ranks to fill their top baseball operations positions. We have great organizational leadership, strong faith in our ability to regenerate, and we have supreme confidence in the men and women who will be stepping up into their newfound opportunities and responsibilities. That is the Rays way. It is who we are, it is what we do.”