The Tampa Bay Rays are one of a handful of American League teams interested in the services of free-agent designated hitter Jim Thome, according to MLB.com.
The 39-year-old hit .249 with 23 home runs and 77 RBIs in 124 games last season split between the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, but the slugger has yet to receive any contract offers this offseason. For his career, Thome is hitting .277 with 564 homers and 1,565 RBIs, numbers that all but guarantee him a spot in the Hall of Fame when he retires.
If the Rays were to sign Thome, they would likely platoon him with Pat Burrell at the DH spot, presumably with the lefty Thome facing right-handed pitching and the righty Burrell facing left-handers. After hitting .262 and averaging 31 home runs and 99 RBIs over his last four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Burrell disappointed in his first season in Tampa last year, posting a sub-par .221-14-64 stat line in 122 games.
MLB.com also lists the White Sox and Detroit Tigers as possible landing spots for Thome because neither has an everyday DH penciled in at this point. It remains possible, however, that both of those teams will instead opt for a DH-by-committee instead of bringing in a new player to take over the position.
“It’s a new experience for me, but you have to let the process play out,” Thome said of being without a team this late in the offseason. “Again, you trust your agents and trust the fact somebody will call and I’ll play in 2010.”
