Everson Pereira’s Time with the Rays Comes to an End
The Rays’ experiment with Everson Pereira was brief.
Tampa Bay traded Pereira to the White Sox as part of a multi-player deal on Tuesday, just three months after bringing him over from the Yankees.
In exchange, the White Sox sent right-handers Yoendriz Gomez and Steven Wilson to the Rays, along with minor league infielder Tanner Murray.
Pereira was signed by the Yankees as an international free agent back in 2017, and he made a remarkable leap from Rookie Ball all the way to Triple-A over just a few seasons, between 2021 and 2023.
At 24 years old, he was once lauded as one of the Yankees’ prized prospects. In 2023, he put together an impressive minor league record, batting .300 with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs across two leagues.
However, things didn’t quite translate to the majors for him. He played 27 games for the Yankees in 2023, where he struggled, posting a .151 average (14 hits in 93 at-bats) without any home runs and managing just 10 RBIs. After being traded to Tampa Bay on July 31 for infielder Jose Caballero, the Yankees benefitted from an impressive late-season run, particularly while Anthony Volpe faced shoulder issues.
This year, Pereira dealt with injury too, undergoing right elbow surgery on June 4, 2024. He only managed to play 23 games with the Rays, hitting .138 (9 hits in 65 at-bats) and recording two home runs and eight RBIs.
Tanner Murray, the infielder included in the deal, is 26 years old and had 137 games with Triple-A Durham this season, a .241 batting average, 18 home runs, and 58 RBIs. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 amateur draft.
On the pitching side, 31-year-old Wilson appeared in 59 games for Chicago this year, with a 2-2 record and a 3.42 ERA, plus two saves. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Gomez saw action with the White Sox, Yankees, and Dodgers this season, achieving a 3-3 record with a 5.17 ERA over nine starts and 12 relief appearances.
In addition, the White Sox acquired lefty Chris Murphy from the Red Sox, and placed left-handed pitcher Frazier Ellard on the voluntary retirement list.
On the Rays’ side, they also traded right-hander Eric Olze to Minnesota and infielder Tristan Gray to Boston. In return, Tampa Bay got minor league right-hander Jacob Kisting from the Twins and another minor league right-hander, Luis Guerrero, from the Red Sox.
The Rays made further roster changes by designating outfielders Jake Fraley and Christopher Morrell, while also releasing right-hander Forrest Whitley to explore playing opportunities in Japan.
