Bill Bray’s Opt-Out Date Not Until June

James Wagner of The Washington Post reports that Washigton Nationals left hander Bill Bray’s opt-out date is not until June. Wagner writes that the exact date was not provided.

James Wagner of The Washington Post reports that Bill Bray can opt out of his minor league deal with the Nationals in June. Mandatory Credit – Jonathan Netwon / The Washington Post

Bray signed a minor league deal with the Nationals earlier this offseason, and was recently reassigned to minor league camp so that he could work on his mechanics in a less stressful environment. Now knowing that Bray can elect to stay or go in June, we know the Nationals have until the start of the summer to either turn Bray into a big-league asset on their ball club or risk losing him to free agency.

Now, just because Bray isn’t on the roster come June, that doesn’t necessarily guarentee he leaves. If Bray is struggling and feels he can turn it around, perhaps he’ll decide to rough it out, try and turn it around, and work to earn a spot on a World Series contender when rosters expand. But when he’s right, Bray is a major-league caliber pitcher, and if he prefers playing time to a slim shot at playing on a World Series contender, then he’ll leave for greener pastures.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on Bray and monitor this story for the specific opt-out date in Bray’s contract. For all things Washington Nationals, be sure to stayed tuned to All Over The Hill.