NEW YORK (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays acquired minor league right-handers Adrian Sampson and Manuel Rodríguez in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.
The move improves Tampa Bay's pitching depth as it tries to chase down AL East-leading Baltimore. Sampson is 11-19 with a 4.43 ERA in 72 major league appearances, including 44 starts. Rodríguez is 5-3 with a 4.88 ERA and five saves in 34 big league games.
The Rays acquired Sampson, Rodríguez and international signing bonus pool space from the Cubs for minor league right-hander Josh Roberson. The 27-year-old Roberson, a 12th-round pick in the 2017 amateur draft, went 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 31 appearances for Triple-A Durham this year.
Sampson and Rodriguez were assigned to Durham.
The 31-year-old Sampson recently returned to the mound after being sidelined by a meniscus injury. He went 4-5 with a 3.11 ERA in 21 games with Chicago last year, including a career-high 19 starts.
Rodríguez, who turns 27 on Sunday, made his big league debut with the Cubs in 2021. He went 2-0 with a 3.29 ERA and four saves in 14 games with Chicago last season.
