With the dust still settling on the Rays sending out Corey Dickerson and Steven Souza, they've now made an addition to the lineup. They have agreed to a deal with free agent outfielder Carlos Gomez, reports Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.
After Souza was dealt, the Rays had a bit of an oddity in the outfield with the three likely starters -- Denard Span (LF), Kevin Kiermaier (CF) and Mallex Smith (RF) -- all being left-handed hitters. Gomez swings righty, so he's a bit of a balance out there while also representing an option to DH.
Also of note is that all four of those outfielders have experience in center. Kiermaier is exceptional in center, but the likelihood of having great range throughout the outfield this coming season is high.
Gomez, 32, is obviously past his prime but still can be productive. He hit .255/.340/.462 (106 OPS+) with 23 doubles, 17 homers and 13 steals last season in 105 games for the Rangers. He'll strike out plenty, and the days of posting a good average are in the rearview, but he can still get on base, hit for power and run.
Most of Gomez's experience in his career is at the top of the order (292 starts in the leadoff spot, which is easily his high mark), but he might end up being a better fit for this Rays lineup somewhere in the middle. Before the signing, the Rays' best 3-4-5 options were probably Kiermaier, Wilson Ramos and Brad Miller.
