The Rays have agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with free agent right-handed pitcher Shawn Tolleson, who was previously the closer for the Rangers in 2015 and into 2016. He has a chance to earn an additional $1.15 million in incentives.
Tolleson is an excellent reliever who fell on hard times in 2016, quite literally, missing time away from the sport with an ailing father, and pitching with mixed success.
A groundball pitcher by type, Tolleson utilizes a fastball/slider combination with a late breaking change, pitching to contact (90.1% Z-contact rate!) with an intent to burn worms.