The Tampa Bay Rays have reportedly signed right-handed pitcher Dustin McGowan to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training, says Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
McGowan had a 4.74 ERA this past season with the Miami Marlins, making 63 appearances over 77.2 innings.
He was at one time a top prospect of the Toronto Blue Jays, having been drafted by the team 33rd overall in 2000, and making his MLB debut in 2005.
Shoulder and knee surgeries robbed the mutton-chopped rotation hopeful of the entire 2009 and 2010 seasons, before he finally rejoined the Blue Jays at the end of 2011 as a reliever.
More shoulder issues robbed McGowan of the entire 2012 season, though he would eventually make his way back to Toronto, pitching in 78 games over 2013 and ’14 with a 3.76 ERA in that span.
He spent 2015 with the Philadelphia Phillies before joining the Marlins on a minor-league deal in 2016, where he had the best season of his major-league career. The Savannah, Ga., native struck out 63 batters in 67 innings over 55 games with a 2.82 ERA, winning the Hutch Award for best exemplifying “the fighting spirit and competitive desire” of the late Fred Hutchinson.
The 35-year-old averaged over 94 m.p.h. on his fastball and sinker last season, mixing in a slider 33 per cent of the time.
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