The Rays surprisingly waived C.J. Cron, but the motive behind the decision wasn’t money.
Early in the offseason, the penny-pinching Rays made a surprising move that caused some shock in the league. After hitting a career-high 30 home runs in 2018 and being one of the best Rays hitters, C.J. Cron suddenly found himself out of a job on the big league roster. Although he would eventually be claimed and sign a deal with the Minnesota Twins, his initial release was questioned rigorously.
For an individual who was durable (he played in 140 games in 2018) and posted a 151 wRC+ against left-handed pitching, Cron’s demotion appeared to be a puzzling move.