Kansas City Royals add relief-pitching depth via trade with Seattle Mariners
The Kansas City Royals simultaneously shifted right-handed relief pitcher Jesse Hahn onto the 60-day injured list and acquired a minor-league reliever to help bolster their bullpen depth.
Those transactions were part of a trio of roster moves made before Saturday afternoon’s game against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals also announced that third baseman/outfielder Hunter Dozier had been sent to Triple-A Omaha on a rehab assignment.
The Royals added right-hander Domingo Tapia, 29, in a trade with the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash considerations. Tapia, who appeared in two major-league games this season, has been optioned to Triple-A Omaha.
A 6-foot-3, 263-pound native of the Dominican Republic, Tapia made his MLB debut for the Boston Red Sox last season, and he allowed one run on four hits (one home run) in 4 1/3 innings with two walks and four strikeouts in five games.
The Mariners claimed him off waivers during the offseason, and he’d pitched for both the major-league club and their Triple-A affiliate this season. He has shown a fastball reaching 98-99 mph during his brief stints in the majors.
At Triple-A Tacoma, he made five appearances, struck out six and allowed one earned run on two hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. In his two appearances for the Mariners, he’d pitched two scoreless innings and allowed four hits and a walk with one strikeout.
Hahn had been on a rehab assignment with Omaha where he’d made three appearances. However, he came out of his most recent outing on Wednesday after having faced just one batter (one walk).
Hahn initially went on the injured list with right shoulder impingement syndrome on April 12. His move to the 60-day IL means he will not be eligible to return before June 11. The move also cleared a spot on the 40-man roster for Tapia.
This season in five appearances (3 1/3 innings) in the majors, Hahn has given up five runs on five hits. Four of those runs came in his last two outings.
Last season, Hahn posted a 0.52 ERA in 18 appearances and opponent’s batted .071 against him.
Dozier, who had been struggling at the plate (.139/.202/.339 slash line) has not played since his collision with Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu in the first game of their doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 14.
Dozier went on the 7-day IL, designated specifically for players with concussion symptoms, prior to the second game of that doubleheader. The Royals recalled third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez to fill Dozier’s roster spot.
This story was originally published May 22, 2021 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Kansas City Royals add relief-pitching depth via trade with Seattle Mariners."
