Rays trade Yoshi Tsutsugo to Dodgers

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays found a taker for struggling slugger Yoshi Tsutsugo late Saturday night, trading him to the Dodgers for cash.

Tsutsugo was designated for assignment this past Tuesday, having hit .187 with eight homers, 29 RBIs and a .628 OPS in 77 games since coming over from Japan for the 2020 season. That includes just .167-0-5-.462 this year. Plus, he has struck out nearly 30 percent of the time.

Tsutsugo, 29, still was owed $5,494,624, the remaining balance on the $7 million salary he had this season as part of what originally was a two-year, $12 million deal, plus another $2.4 million the Rays paid to his former Yokohama team.

The Rays were responsible for all but a prorated share of the minimum salary, which is around $430,000.

Though the trade was announced as being for a player to be named or cash, the Rays will take the Dodgers’ money, getting a small amount on top of the $430,000.

The Dodgers did so to acquire Tsutsugo before he became a free agent Tuesday and had the right to sign wherever he chose. His other option was to stay with the Rays organization by accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Durham.

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