The Tampa Bay Rays have been shaking up their pitching staff a lot in the last few weeks, with several key players landing on the injured list.
Relief pitcher Cole Sulser and starting pitchers Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax all hit the sidelines with ailments. McClanahan is already back in the mix, while Jax is nearing a return and Sulser remains sidelined with a back ailment .
It will be interesting to see what move is made to activate Jax when he is ready, because there is another pitcher coming off the injured list who has yet to take the mound this season. According to Tom Krasniqi of 97.5 WDAE on X, the team is set to activate relief pitcher Manny Rodriguez this weekend against the Baltimore Orioles .
Erik Neander was on the radio show and shared the news about the right-handed hurler who has yet to appear in an MLB game this season after undergoing surgery last year. Rodriguez is on his way to Baltimore and will be joining the team there.
May 20, 2025; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (39) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With his rehab window closing after the maximum of 30 days, the team had to make a decision on what to do with him. Despite some struggles during his rehab with Triple-A Durham, the Rays have decided he will be a part of the Big League bullpen.
Rodriguez pitched 10 times, making one appearance at the Florida Complex League, one with Single-A Charleston and eight with Triple-A Durham. Overall, he had a 9.00 ERA across eight innings of work with 14 strikeouts.
That certainly isn't the kind of production the team would have liked to see during his rehab assignment, but he has had a strong track record with Tampa Bay the last two years. He has seen his role grow, and rightfully so, with how he performed.
In 71 career appearances with the Rays, Rodriguez has a 2.12 ERA across 68 innings of work with 59 strikeouts. He has a strong ERA+ of 193 and a FIP of 3.39, becoming a trusted arm for manager Kevin Cash to turn to.
He will likely be eased into a role, especially with how much he struggled during his rehab assignment, but he is capable of being a difference-maker for the team down the stretch.
Rodriguez will help build the bridge to star closer Bryan Baker , who has turned into one of the best late-game pitchers in baseball this season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rays/onsi as Rays Reportedly Set To Active Relief Pitcher From Injured List .
