Rays add outfield depth by acquiring Jankowski

SAN DIEGO -- The Rays are getting some reinforcements to their depleted outfield.

Outfielder Travis Jankowski was acquired in a trade with the White Sox on Saturday in exchange for cash considerations and selected to the active roster. In a pair of corresponding moves, infielder Coco Montes was optioned to Triple-A Durham and left-hander Shane McClanahan was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Jankowski, who signed a Minor League contract with the White Sox during Spring Training and made their Opening Day roster, was designated for assignment on April 6 but stayed in the organization. In seven big league games with Chicago, he batted .214 with one walk and three strikeouts. In five games with Triple-A Charlotte, the 33-year-old had a .261/.320/.391 slash line.

Jankowski was a valued backup for the Rangers’ 2023 World Series championship squad.

“He brings a lot to a team, a winning team, where he can do a lot of things,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He puts the ball in play. There’s some speed. He plays really good defense at all three outfield spots. He’s got a ring on his finger here recently, as of two years ago. So, to have those experiences and add that personality and that type of player in our clubhouse, I think is good.

“… He’s excited to be here and he’ll get right into the mix with us.”

With a depleted outfield, the Rays need to get Jankowski into the mix sooner rather than later. Over the first month of the season, they’ve lost Jake Mangum to a left groin strain, Josh Lowe to a right oblique strain, Richie Palacios to a right knee sprain and Jonny DeLuca to a right shoulder strain.

Those four are on the injured list and aren’t expected to return until May, at the earliest.

The only other active outfielders on Tampa Bay’s roster are Kameron Misner, Christopher Morel, José Caballero and Chandler Simpson.

“With the outfield, injuries have been a plague to this team,” Jankowski said about his role on the Rays. “It’s ‘come in and help us win,’ so I’m going to give everything I got for as long as I’m here and help the Rays win some games.”

It helps that Jankowski fits the mold of what the Rays look for in a player. His versatility and range in the field, coupled with his speed, were a big reason why Cash and the Tampa Bay brass have admired him from afar for so long, dating back to his early career with the Padres.

The admiration is mutual.

“To me, the energy, the culture here is great,” Jankowski said. “Cash is unbelievable as a manager. I think the résumé speaks for itself, consistently getting into the postseason in a division that’s not very easy. What he does, what these players bring every day, it’s exciting to be a part of this team and to be able to put on a Rays uniform.”

Although he was not in the starting lineup on Saturday, Jankowski was in the dugout, at the ready whenever his number is called. It has been that way for him for most of his career.

“I’ve been a fourth, fifth outfielder probably since 2019,” he said. “So for the last six, seven seasons, that’s been my role. You learn how to prepare every single day, knowing that you’re probably only going to be in the lineup 30% of those games. But it doesn’t take away from the preparation. It doesn’t take away from the mindset of expecting to be in a lineup every day.

“And when you show up and you’re not in the lineup, you don’t take anything personally. You check your ego at the door every single day. You go out and go to plan B, which is, 'OK, how am I getting in this game and how am I helping this team?’”