Rays acquire 2 DFA'd Braves, add them to 40-man roster

The waiver wire tends to the Rays' best friend as they continuously sign players whose value is not seen by other clubs. Blake Sabol, Edward Olivares, and Tsung-Che Cheng were a few talented players that were signed by the Rays after being designated for assignment. However, the most recent ones may be the most likely candidates to stick on this talented roster.

Rays acquire former Giants middle infielder Brett Wisely

Due to the gaping hole at second base for the Rays, Wisely is certainly entering an opportunity where he could potentially win a job. The 26-year-old athlete was actually drafted by the Rays in the 15th round of the 2019 draft out of Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, FL. The left-handed bat was promoted to Durham in only a few seasons, but the Rays ultimately decided to deal his services to the Giants in 2022. The front office must have been thrilled for the opportunity to reacquire the 5'9 second baseman after some MLB exposure.

His exposure in the big leagues started with the Giants in 2023. His numbers were not very impressive as he produced a .175 AVG to go with a .267 slugging percentage. However, San Francisco did not give up on Wisely and he stepped up his production the following season to the tune of a .238/.278/.345 stat line in 91 contests. Defense and versatility are what's keeping him in the MLB as he has seen time in both the infield and the outfield with reliable success. The Rays are excited to see how he can aid this club, especially with the absence of Brandon Lowe.

Rays acquire left-handed reliever Ken Waldichuk

Waldichuk was another recent waiver wire acquisition for the Rays. The 28-year-old pitcher was DFA'd by the Atlanta Braves before even tossing a pitch for the organization. Waldichuk is currently on the upside of recovery from the infamous Tommy John surgery. The Rays saw a great opportunity to claim a talented pitcher that is on the brink of being healthy and, in some ways, rejuvenated.

In Ken Waldichuk's only two MLB campaigns, he compiled a 6-11 record with a 5.28 ERA for the Oakland Athletics. Those stats don't stand out to anyone, but there is one really bright spot for the California native. It may sound simple, but just the mere fact that he's a left-handed pitcher is gold in the eyes of MLB teams. The Rays' bullpen has been lacking in left-handed relievers over the last few years as Garrett Cleavinger has covered most of that particular load. Waldichuk gives them an easy low-risk, high-reward option out of the pen that is having a restart in some respects due to his injury.