Fastball

Tampa Bay Rays Acquire Veteran INF in Trade with Minnesota Twins

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired veteran infielder Niko Goodrum in a trade on Wednesday with the Minnesota Twins. Goodrum will now make the Rays 40-man roster.

Brady Farkas

Mar 5, 2024; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman Austin Martin (82), third baseman
Mar 5, 2024; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman Austin Martin (82), third baseman / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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As they continue to navigate life without superstar infielder Wander Franco, the Tampa Bay Rays have acquired veteran infielder Niko Goodrum in a trade with the Minnesota Twins.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times had the news on social media:

Hearing Goodrum is joining via minor-league trade and will be added to 40-man roster, per his assignment clause.

So just because Goodrum makes the 40-man roster doesn't mean that he'll be on the Opening Day roster on Thursday. But he will serve as continued organizational depth since the Rays quite likely won't have Franco for the entire 2024 season as he goes through the legal process in the Dominican Republic stemming from allegations of a relationship with an underage girl.

The team also acquired veteran Amed Rosario and youngster Jose Caballero this offseason, seemingly in an effort to combat not having Franco.

Goodrum had signed with the Twins back in December but apparently wasn't going to make the roster because of a crowded infield situation that includes Carlos Correa, Kyle Farmer, Edouard Julien, Royce Lewis and other prospects. Even after trading Jorge Polanco, there still wasn't room evidently.

Goodrum started the 2023 season in the minors for the Boston Red Sox before finishing out the year in Korea.

Lifetime, he's a .226 hitter who did enjoy a nice run with the Detroit Tigers in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He hit 16 homers in 2018 and 12 in 2019, serving as a near every-day player in the Motor City. He last appeared in a major league game in 2022 with the Astros.

The Rays open up the season on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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