The Tampa Bay Rays have designated infielder Brooks Conrad for assignment, thus opening up the necessary roster spot on the 40-man roster for third baseman Evan Longoria, as reported by Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times. The transaction starts a ten-day clock for the Rays to trade, release or waive Conrad to the minors.
To make room for Longoria on 40-man roster,
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 7, 2012#Rays DFA Brooks Conrad
The 32-year-old Conrad appeared in 24 games for the Rays this season and struggled at the plate, batting just .172/.213/.362 in 61 plate appearances. However, the team lived with his poor offensive performance in the short-term because of his ability to fill in at several different positions.
The big news here is Longoria's return, though. The star third baseman will be returning from the disabled list and making his first appearance in a big league game since April 30. Tampa Bay desperately needs his offensive production and he can be one of the best players in the game. Let's hope he doesn't re-aggravate his injury.