October 20, 2023
New York Mets infielder
Danny Mendick and outfielder
Rafael Ortega have been placed on outright waivers on Friday. This comes as no surprise considering both players struggled during their time with the Mets last season. Ortega was an everyday outfielder in the second half of the season. However, he slashed .219/.341/.272 during that time, which wasn't enough to warrant keeping him around. It's likely that both players head into free agency this offseason.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Anthony DiComo
January 3, 2023
The New York Yankees signed free-agent outfielder
Rafael Ortega to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. The deal likely includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Ortega joins
Willie Calhoun and
Billy McKinney as outfield reclamation projects for the Yankees entering spring training in 2023. It's possible that one of Ortega, Calhoun and McKinney could open the season with considerable playing time in left field to begin the year if they impress in spring training. Ortega made his major-league debut in 2012 with the Colorado Rockies and has played in six seasons, hitting .250/.322/.361 with a .683 OPS, 21 home runs, 101 RBI, 120 runs scored and 41 stolen bases in 364 games. Last year in a career-high 118 games with the Chicago Cubs, he hit .241/.331/.358 with seven home runs, 35 RBI, 35 runs and 12 stolen bases in 371 plate appearances.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NJ Advance Media - Mike Rosenstein
September 9, 2022
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Rafael Ortega will take a seat on Friday against the San Francisco Giants and left-hander
Carlos Rodon. It will be the third straight game that Ortega has started on the bench. He's hit .191 (4-for-21) with four RBI and nine strikeouts in eight games over the last two weeks and only has four hits in 19 at-bats (.211) against southpaws in 22 plate appearances in 2022. In his place,
Christopher Morel will start in left field and bat ninth on Friday against Rodon. The 23-year-old rookie is hitting .248/.312/.443 on the season with 13 home runs, 38 RBI, 49 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 323 at-bats, but he'll have low upside in DFS in the nine-hole.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Press
April 12, 2022
Chicago Cubs outfielder
Rafael Ortega isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates and left-handed starter
Jose Quintana. Ortega had a breakout year in 2021 for the Cubs, hitting .291 with a .360 on-base percentage, 11 home runs, and 12 stolen bases in 330 plate appearances. So far this season, he's batting .167 with a .500 on-base percentage and a pair of runs scored in 10 plate appearances. The Cubs will go with
Ian Happ,
Michael Hermosillo, and
Seiya Suzuki from left to right in the outfield in a good matchup against Quintana. The veteran pitched to a 6.43 REA and a 4.66 FIP in 63 innings last season and allowed 15 hits, 11 earned runs, four home runs, and three walks in nine innings during Spring Training with Pittsburgh.
--Ben Rosener - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Cubs
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