TAMPA BAY TRADES FOR TRAVIS D'ARNAUD
The Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher Travis d'Arnaud from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash.
What does it give the Tampa Bay Rays
With starting catcher Mike Zunino and backup Michael Perez both currently on the Injured List, the Rays needed some depth behind the plate. Enter d'Arnaud, who never measured up to expectations with the Mets but still has time to prove he can be an effective big leaguer. He will get that opportunity in Tampa Bay, at least for the short term.
What does it give the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers just recently signed d'Arnaud (a Long Beach, CA native) as a free agent after he had been released by the Mets. Instead of keeping him around for depth, LA decided to move him to the catcher-needy Rays in exchange for cash considerations. It is a curious move by the Dodgers; what were their plans for d'Arnaud, anyway?
Fantasy impact
While d'Arnaud has power, he has never really put it together in MLB (partly due to injuries). He is not expected to supplant Zunino (a supreme defender behind the dish), so d'Arnaud is not a recommended fantasy catcher at this time.
