The Tampa Bay Rays are in a great spot with September baseball now upon us, owning the best record in the American League at 83-55 entering play on Sept. 2.
Heading into the final weeks of the season, the Rays are already on the cusp of clinching a playoff spot . Alas, work remains to hold off the New York Yankees in the AL East, and the team needs one more victory over their division rivals to secure the tiebreaker.
To ensure they stay ahead of the Yankees, Tampa Bay needs to continue pitching at a high level. These three pitchers are the most important to the Rays finding success down the stretch.
Aug 7, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Bryan Baker (47) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After acquiring Bryan Baker from the Baltimore Orioles last season in a trade, the results weren't great. He struggled with his new team, but underlying metrics hinted that a turnaround was possible.
Even the most optimistic people couldn't have predicted what occurred with Baker turning into one of the best closers in baseball. He has an MLB-high 39 saves with a 1.50 ERA, locking things down whenever the team has a lead late.
With a relatively small margin for error down the stretch, Tampa Bay needs him to keep performing up to that level to secure a playoff spot and then play deep into October.
Aug 23, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Cam Booser (62) delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the seventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If there is any perceived weakness on the Rays' pitching staff right now, it is left-handed pitching in the bullpen. Garrett Cleavinger has not been able to consistently perform, which has opened the door for guys like Cam Booser to get opportunities.
His performance down the stretch will be key to bridging the gap to their star closer. Booser has only 31 appearances this season, but owns a 1.97 ERA and is someone that manager Kevin Cash should be gaining more and more confidence in.
Another name to keep an eye on as a potential left-handed bullpen arm is Ian Seymour. He has been great in the starting rotation, but someone could get bumped now that Griffin Jax is healthy again.
Sep 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Acquired from the New York Mets ahead of the MLB trade deadline, Freddy Peralta is an X-factor for Tampa Bay down the stretch. He looks to have found his form recently with the team, dominating the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets in his last two starts .
That version of the veteran righty elevates the team to another level. Another front-end caliber hurler to go along with two All-Stars in Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez gives the team incredible rotation depth.
It is key for Peralta to continue moving away from the tough stint he had with the Mets and look more like the 2025 version of himself, who was an All-Star and led the National League with 17 wins.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rays/onsi as Ranking Three Most Important Pitchers for Rays in September .
