TAMPA, Fla. -- The Rays added an intriguing arm to their bullpen on Monday, acquiring Tampa native Alex Faedo from the Tigers for catching prospect Enderson Delgado and cash considerations.

To make room for Faedo on their 40-man roster, the Rays designated infielder Osleivis Basabe for assignment.

TRADE DETAILS
Rays get: RHP Alex Faedo
Tigers get: Minor League C Enderson Delgado, cash

A first-round pick out of the University of Florida in the 2017 Draft, the 29-year-old Faedo was designated for assignment last week when the Tigers signed reliever Tommy Kahnle. Injuries kept him from fulfilling his potential as a starter, but he found a role in Detroit¡¯s bullpen before finishing last season on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain he suffered in August.

Joining the Rays is a homecoming for Faedo, who pitched at Alonso High School before going to UF. His father, longtime Alonso High coach Landy Faedo, was an assistant at Tampa¡¯s Gaither High School when Rays manager Kevin Cash played there. When he pitched for the Tigers at Tropicana Field in May 2022, Faedo said he went to ¡°a ton of games¡± at The Trop as a kid.

This year, he will have a chance to take the mound for the Rays at Steinbrenner Field, about a 20-minute drive from where he pitched in high school.

The addition of Faedo will increase the competition in the Rays bullpen when Spring Training begins next week. They have a handful of late-inning arms returning, including closer Pete Fairbanks, right-handers Edwin Uceta, Kevin Kelly and Manuel Rodr¨ªguez, and lefties Garrett Cleavinger and Mason Montgomery. Also in the mix are right-handers Hunter Bigge, Cole Sulser, Eric Orze and Jacob Waguespack, left-hander Brandon Eisert and Rule 5 Draft pickup Mike Vasil.

Faedo posted a 3.61 ERA with 55 strikeouts and 28 walks in 57 1/3 innings over 37 appearances last year, including six outings as an opener. He leaned on his slider as his primary pitch, throwing it 39.6% of the time and generating a 43% whiff rate with the breaking ball. Faedo¡¯s fastball averaged 94 mph last year, and he also mixed in a changeup (19.9% of his pitches, mostly against left-handed hitters) and a sinker (5.4%, all to righties).

Faedo was optioned in 2021, 2022 and 2023. He had been granted a fourth Minor League option last offseason because he had less than five years of service in the Majors or Minors due to injuries. The Tigers didn¡¯t use the option, but since last year counted as Faedo¡¯s fifth year, the extra option couldn¡¯t carry over.

When the Tigers removed Faedo from their roster, president of baseball operations Scott Harris called it ¡°a really difficult move for us to make,¡± noting the right-hander¡¯s popularity as a teammate and his performance on the mound.

¡°I think Alex has been a really talented pitcher and has gotten some big outs for us, but I think his out-of-options status made it a little bit more difficult of a fit on our roster here,¡± Harris told reporters.

Acquiring Faedo cost the Rays a 20-year-old catching prospect in Delgado, who split last season between Single-A Charleston and the Rookie-level Florida Complex League. He hit .259 with four homers and 30 RBIs in 65 games and drew solid reviews for his work with pitchers behind the plate. He was not ranked among the club¡¯s top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.

To clear a spot for Faedo on their full 40-man roster, the Rays also had to cut ties with Basabe, who didn¡¯t return to the Majors last year after debuting down the stretch in 2023. The 24-year-old provided versatile depth for Tampa Bay, playing shortstop, second base and third, but he hit just .218 with a .587 OPS in the Majors and batted .248/.293/.336 in 66 games for Triple-A Durham last year.