TAMPA BAY, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have traded third baseman Evan Longoria to the San Francisco Giants, the team announced on Wednesday.
We’ve traded 3B Evan Longoria to San Francisco in exchange for OF Denard Span, INF Christian Arroyo, and minor league pitchers Matt Krook and Stephen Woods Jr. pic.twitter.com/2AGYFwNgIZ
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) December 20, 2017
Longoria, 32, was drafted by the Rays in 2006 and departs as the longest-tenured player in franchise history, after spending nearly 10 seasons in a Rays uniform.
He is the club’s all-time leader with 1,435 games played, 261 home runs, 892 runs batted in, 338 doubles, 618 extra-base hits, 780 runs scored, 569 walks and 2,630 total bases. Of the 30 postseason games in Rays history, all 30 have featured Longoria in the starting lineup at third base.
“Evan is our greatest Ray. For a decade, he’s been at the center of all of our successes, and it’s a very emotional parting for us all,” said Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg. “I speak for our entire organization in wishing Evan and his wonderful family our absolute best.”
Longoria's teammate on the Ray's, Kevin Kiermaier, responded to the announcement by tweeting a thank you to Longoria for showing him the ropes.
Thank you @Evan3Longoria for showin me the ropes the past 4 years...dude is ready to play EVERYDAY and that is very hard to do especially at an elite level #RESPECT
— Kevin Kiermaier (@KKiermaier39) December 20, 2017
In the trade, the Ray's will receive veteran outfielder Denard Span, infielder Christian Arroyo, minor league left-handed pitcher Matt Krook and minor league right-handed pitcher Stephen Woods Jr.
Mary Stringini is a Digital Reporter for ABC Action News. Follow her on Twitter @MaryWFTS.
