Darvill re-signs with Goldeyes, but will play for Canada in Olympic qualifier

The Winnipeg Goldeyes have re-signed Wes Darvill (Langley, B.C.), but the infielder will compete for the national team at an Olympic qualifying tournament before he suits up for the Goldeyes. Photo: Winnipeg Goldeyes

May 10, 2021

By Steve Schuster

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes announced three transactions on Monday, including two players having their contracts purchased by Major League organizations.

Right-handed pitcher Josh Lucas has signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, while right-handed pitcher Ryan Dull has signed with the Seattle Mariners.

Lucas re-signed with the Goldeyes on January 22 after making three appearances for the club at the end of 2020. The Lakeland, Fla., native pitched to a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings. On the final day of the season, Lucas struck out 13 batters over seven scoreless innings in an eventual Goldeyes’ win. The 30-year-old right-hander reached the Major Leagues in three consecutive seasons from 2017-19 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, and Baltimore Orioles.

Dull signed with the Goldeyes on January 25 having pitched in the Major Leagues five straight years from 2015 to 19. The Winston-Salem, N.C., native compiled a 4.31 ERA in 171 appearances split between the Athletics, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays. In 2016, Dull tied for ninth in the American League with 70 relief appearances, and finished that season with a 2.42 ERA.

Lucas and Dull join Sam Hellinger (signed with Cincinnati Reds on March 11th) as Goldeyes who have signed with Major League organizations in 2021. The Goldeyes have now sold the contracts of 82 players to Major League clubs in franchise history.

Additionally, the Goldeyes have re-signed infielder Wes Darvill (Langley, B.C.) and placed him on the Inactive List. Darvill returns to the Goldeyes for a fifth season, and is expected to play for the Canadian National Team at the upcoming Americas Baseball Qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The tournament is scheduled for May 31 to June 5 at the New York Mets’ spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Team Canada is joined by Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, the United States, and Venezuela. The winner of the eight-team bracket will be awarded one of the two remaining slots in the baseball competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (to be played later this summer). The second and third place finishers will move on to a “last chance” qualifier hosted in Chinese Taipei in June. Israel, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea have already earned Olympic bids.

Darvill has hit .292 with 202 runs scored, 155 RBI, and 87 stolen bases during his four seasons with the Goldeyes. The Langley, B.C., native has twice been voted an American Association All-Star, and was a member of the Goldeyes’ back-to-back championship teams in 2016 and 2017. Following the 2017 season, Darvill’s contract was purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers where he reached the triple-A level.

The Goldeyes now have 24 active players under contract for the 2021 season. American Association clubs may carry up to 30 players during spring training, which began May 6.

The Goldeyes face the Milwaukee Milkmen in an exhibition game on Tuesday evening at Franklin Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

The Goldeyes open the 2021 regular season on Thursday, May 18 at Sioux Falls, and make their debut at The Ballpark at Jackson on Friday, May 21 versus Chicago.

The Goldeyes will continue to monitor the reopening of the Canada/US border and assess a potential return to Shaw Park in 2021.