Austin Slater is back on the market after opting out of his minor league deal with the Rays, according to Robert Murray of FanSided.
Tampa Bay, it appears, had no immediate plan to add him to the big league roster, so the veteran outfielder will now try to find a contender before the Sept. 1 deadline for postseason eligibility.
Slater has logged 65 major league plate appearances across three teams this winter and has hit .231/.311/.277 with the Rays, Marlins and Mets. That extends a rough run at the plate that has now covered three straight seasons in limited or part-time duty. Since the start of 2024, he’s batted just .215/.301/.308 in 446 plate appearances.
The one thing working in his favor is the bat he’s shown in Triple-A. Slater has spent 150 plate appearances with Durham this season and posted a strong .305/.407/.453 line, with a walk rate nearing 15% and a strikeout rate just under 25%. He didn’t do much against either handedness in his brief big league looks this year, but his career track record against lefties remains useful: in 1087 plate appearances versus southpaws, the right-handed hitter owns a .263/.353/.420 line, good for a 115 wRC+.
Defensively, Slater brings plenty of flexibility. He has played all three outfield spots, first base and, for a brief stretch, second and third base. These days, though, he’s mostly viewed as a corner outfielder and first baseman, with the ability to cover center field or an infield spot in a pinch.
That kind of profile could still appeal to clubs looking for help against left-handed pitching. The Blue Jays, Pirates, Mariners, Guardians and Phillies are among the teams that have struggled in that split this season, and Pittsburgh, Seattle and Toronto have been especially shaky against southpaws since the 2026 trade deadline.
A major league contract may still be a tough sell given Slater’s recent production, but Sept. 1 is close and rosters will expand from 26 to 28 players. If he lands another minor league deal before then, he could still work his way onto a big league bench next month.
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