KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -Tampa Bay designated Dan Johnson for assignment Wednesday, less than a week after the Rays claimed the first baseman off waivers from Oakland.
Johnson did not play in a game for Tampa Bay.
“Obviously, it’s a little bit of an awkward situation,” Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said.
The Rays acquired Johnson last Friday when the team was in the market for a backup first baseman and designated hitter with Carlos Pena slowed by a sore hamstring. But Pena’s injury did not turn out to be serious, and Tampa Bay parted with Johnson to make room for incoming outfielder Gabe Gross.
Gross was obtained from Milwaukee in a trade Tuesday, the same day Johnson joined the Rays for a three-game series against Toronto at Disney World.
Friedman said the Rays could have carried Johnson on the roster a while longer, but it would have been difficult find playing time for him.
“We have a tremendous amount of respect for Dan as a player,” Friedman said. “It was something that for us, a lot of variables changed from Friday until (Wednesday). At the time we claimed him we weren’t sure about Carlos’ hamstring, and we didn’t think this trade was going to happen at that time.”
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