Former A's Reliever Signs Two-Year Deal with Tampa Bay Rays

Former A's right-handed reliever has landed in a pretty good spot with the Tampa Bay Rays

Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting that the Tampa Bay Rays have signed righty reliever Garrett Acton to a two-year deal after he made his debut in 2023 with the Oakland A's. The team released him in July. The deal with the Rays is reportedly a split deal that will pay him the big-league minimum of $740K in 2024 and then $775K in 2025 for any time that he spends in the big leagues. 

The agreement is structured like this because Acton underwent Tommy John surgery last season and is likely to miss most if not all of the '24 campaign.

While his 12.71 ERA across 5 2/3 innings with the A's last season may not scream that this is a great signing, Acton signed with the A's as an un-drafted free agent following the 2020 season which only had five rounds in the Draft. 

In his first taste of pro ball in 2021, he racked up a 3.69 ERA in 53 2/3 innings between Stockton (A Ball) and Lansing (High-A), striking out 87 and walking just 18. The following year he held a 4.23 ERA in Double-A in 27 2/3 innings while striking out 42 and made the jump to Triple-A in mid-June of that season while struggling to a 5.53 ERA the rest of the way.

In 2023 he began the year in Triple-A and had a 4.01 ERA when he was called up to Oakland, struggled with the A's, and then struggled upon returning to Las Vegas which led to his release. 

During his brief stint in Oakland we talked about the facial hair he always has for picture day. In 2023, he donned a full mustache while his family pleaded with him not to. Once the picture was taken, the mustache was gone. 

He also made his MLB debut on Mother's Day, which led to a pretty cool call-up story. His mom had been visiting him over the weekend in Las Vegas to watch him pitch, and Acton went to the team store to get his mom a hat. Fran Riordan, the Vegas manager, knew that he'd gone to the team store when Acton was called into his office. Riordan told him that he should go pick out an A's hat for his mom, because he was headed to Oakland. So they all flew out and Garrett's mom got to watch him make his debut on Mother's Day. 

Heading to a team like the Tampa Bay Rays that just develops pitchers left and right should be great for Acton's career. He is still just 25 years old and has plenty of time to make his mark in the league.