Ryan Raburn. (Lisa Blumenfeld, Getty Images)
Scottsdale, Ariz. — The Rockies on Tuesday selected the contract of veteran Ryan Raburn, adding him to their roster as a fourth outfielder for opening day. The move kicks in Raburn’s $1.5 million big-league contract.
The Rockies signed the former Cleveland slugger to a minor-league deal last month. And he could have opted out on Monday, the deadline for the Rockies to add him to their 40-man roster.
“I didn’t know Ryan very well, other than the name and seeing him occassionally on TV, since he was in the other league,” Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. “But I’ve seen a professional hitter. And you always need more of that. Our issues against left-handed pitching, also, made him a good match.”
The Rockies struggled mightily last season against left-handed pitching, ranking 19th in runs scored against lefties. They were 23rd in team OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage), at .677.
“We really struggled against lefties last year. I mean, we were awful,” Weiss said.
Raburn left Cleveland after the club declined a $3 million team option on his contract, making him a free agent. He
“Every player should feel like they have a chip on their shoulder. And I do,” Raburn said. “The offseason didn’t go the way I’d hoped. But I’m still playing baseball. And I’m grateful for that. My chip is that I want to show this team I can help them.”
Raburn is a career .264 hitter against lefties with a healthy .827 OPS against them (he has a .693 OPS against righties). In 2015, he boosted those numbers to .325/1.004 against left-handers.
The Rockies may give Raburn a fair amount of at-bats, despite playing behind a settled unit of LF Gerardo Parra, CF Charlie Blackmon and RF Carlos Gonzalez. Weiss has said he’s looking to spell Blackmon more this season (he played 157 games in 2015). And Gonzalez, who played in 153 games last season in his first fully healthy year since 2010, remains the subject of trade talks.
Colorado, then, is left with a decision on backup outfielder Brandon Barnes. If the club carries nine relievers in the bullpen, with a four-man rotation to start the season, that would allow four bench players — Mark Reynolds, Tony Wolters, Cristhian Adames and Raburn. An eight-man bullpen makes a spot for Barnes.
