The Tampa Bay Rays got younger at catcher Monday, using a pair of reported trades to swap Danny Jansen out for Nick Fortes.
The Rays dealt Jansen to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for infield prospect Jadher Areinamo, MLB.com and The Athletic reported. Separately, the Rays are acquiring Fortes from the Miami Marlins for minor-league outfielder Matthew Etzel, according to multiple reports.
Jansen, 30, was in his first season in Tampa Bay after spending the first seven years of his career with American League East rivals Toronto (2018-24) and Boston (2024). Due to a 2024 Toronto-Boston game that was suspended due to rain and rescheduled, Jansen became the first player in MLB history to play for both teams in a single game.
Jansen was batting just .204 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs in 73 appearances for the Rays.
Fortes, 28, is under club control through 2028 via three years of arbitration. He will join his second MLB club without having to leave the state.
In parts of five seasons with Miami, Fortes has batted .225 with 25 home runs and 96 RBIs over 363 games. That includes a .240 batting average with two homers and 10 RBIs in 59 games in 2025.
Areinamo, 21, is a Venezuela native who joins Tampa Bay’s system after batting .297 with 11 homers and 51 RBIs over 94 games this season for High-A Wisconsin.
Etzel, 23, has spent the season at Tampa Bay’s Double-A affiliate in Montgomery, where he has batted .230 with five home runs and 34 RBIs in 56 games. He has played all three outfield spots in the minor leagues.
–Field Level Media
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