Detroit Tigers

Rays trade Mikie Mahtook to Tigers for player to be named or cash

Published Jan. 18, 2017 5:53 p.m. ET

Mikie Mahtook had 11 RBI and three home runs in 65 games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. (Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports)

TAMPA BAY RAYS PRESS RELEASE

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays have traded outfielder Mikie Mahtook to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for a player to be named or cash considerations.

Mahtook, 27, has spent parts of the last two seasons in the majors with the Rays. In 2016, he played in 65 games with 50 starts (17-RF, 17-CF, 16-RF) over two stints and hit .195/.231/.292 (36-for-185) with three home runs and 11 RBI. He hit .276 (21-for-76) over his final 24 games (20 starts) of the season. Mahtook was one of two major league players to start at least 15 games at all three outfield positions, along with Aaron Hicks (Yankees).

Over his career, Mahtook is a .276/.322/.537 (37-for-134) hitter against left-handed pitching. Nine of his 12 career home runs have come vs. southpaws. He was selected by the Rays in the first round (31st overall) of the 2011 June Draft out of Louisiana State University and is a career .272/.338/.410 (543-for-1,997) hitter in the minor leagues.