Life After Fairbanks: Who Anchors the Rays Bullpen?
This offseason, the Rays were faced with a difficult question: accept or decline veteran closer Pete Fairbanks’ $11 million option? The Rays ultimately decided it was best not to allocate roughly 11% of their budget to a closer who had some inconsistencies staying on the field. This decision created more roster uncertainty and begs the question, who will be the next Rays closer?
The realistic options seem to be in-house, as 2025 trade deadline acquisitions Griffin Jax, Bryan Baker, and multi-year Rays Garrett Cleavinger and Edwin Uceta should feature in the decision.
Griffin Jax –
The Rays acquired Jax at the 2025 trade deadline in an attempt to aid a bullpen that had been struggling to find results. On the surface, the trade didn’t appear to pay huge dividends, as after the trade deadline, Jax matched his 3.59 FIP with a 3.6 ERA. However, under the surface, you see optimism with Jax.
For the majority of the 2025 season, Jax was viewed as one of the “unluckiest” relievers in baseball, hovering around the 4-5 ERA mark the entire season, despite the fact that he was 9th in major league baseball in K-BB%. As you would expect, Jax also posted elite plate discipline metrics, landing in the 90th percentile or better in zone miss% and chase%.
Jax doesn’t have a ton of experience closing out games, primarily serving as the Twins setup man and the Rays last season, using him in multiple different roles, but his raw stuff, paired with his elite peripherals, should absolutely make him a candidate for the closer job.
Bryan Baker –
Baker joined the Rays after an early July trade that practically kicked off last year’s trade deadline, with the Rays attempting to shore up a bullpen that had just lost Manny Rodriguez for the year. On the surface, it seemed like a pretty fringe trade, as Baker had never been a major contributor in Baltimore and had just a 4 FIP through 38.1 innings, but once again, under the hood, you understood the Rays appeal to Baker.
In 2025, Baker had by far the best year of his career, increasing his K-BB% by 7% increase and ultimately landing in the 85th percentile among relievers. Baker pairs a plus fastball with a double-plus changeup that he allowed a pedestrian .155 wOBA, and generated a 36.7% whiff% on the offering.
Bryan’s first month in Tampa Bay (5.2 FIP) was definitely not what the Rays had in mind when they acquired him, but he steadied out and produced a 3.4 FIP to finish out the year. Baker’s career high in zone% helps his case a lot, as he deserves a chance to factor into this decision.
Edwin Uceta –
Uceta’s breakout in 2024 was something to behold. The right-hander burst onto the scene after the 2024 trade deadline, putting up dazzling numbers: 1.70 FIP, 1.7 fWAR, and a 30.8 K-BB% in just 41.2 innings of work. Uceta’s 2025 season became anticipated to see what he could provide, with some even thinking he could take over as the Rays closer.
Edwin’s first two months were about as rough as any Rays reliever I could ever remember. He posted a 5.31 FIP, and his BB% had nearly doubled from the year prior. Uceta not only had lost some feel for the zone, but was also getting barreled up at a 14% clip (1st percentile), and appeared to possibly be a DFA candidate. Uceta tinkered with his mix, slicing his cutter usage in half and leaning more on the fastball and changeup, and that yielded much greater results. His barrel percentage got cut by nearly 10%, his BB% was down 3%, and Edwin’s FIP got to a much tidier 2.27, a number we were more accustomed to seeing.
If Edwin Uceta is the pitcher we have seen for the large majority of his time in Tampa Bay, he is absolutely someone who should factor into replacing Pete Fairbanks.
Garrett Cleavinger –
Cleavinger is the longest tenured Ray on this list, as he has spent the last 3.5 seasons as a member of the Rays. In that time frame, Cleavinger has emerged as an extremely productive player, posting a 21.3 K-BB%. Cleavinger did appear to make a bit of a breakthrough in 2025, even in the poor pitching environment he was a part of.
On the surface, Cleavinger’s FIP essentially sat in line with his entire career (3.59) this prior season, but that was largely inflated due to a 18.8% HR/FB ratio (4% above career average). More indicative of Cleavinger’s on-field results was his 26.3% K-BB% (4th among left-handed relievers). A big part of that productivity was his +7% improvement in zone%, going from someone closer to the 20th percentile to now the 90th percentile.
Cleavinger’s breakout 2025 season should certainly allow him to compete for the highest leverage spot in the bullpen. Garrett, being the lone established left-handed pitcher in the bullpen, might hurt his chances a bit, but at the end of the day, talent should win out for this spot.
The Rays enter the season facing a difficult decision. While they have four legitimate in-house options, replacing someone as reliable as Pete Fairbanks is no small task. Among the candidates, Griffin Jax profiles as the most realistic option, thanks to his combination of elite strike-throwing and swing-and-miss ability.
The realistic options seem to be in-house, as 2025 trade deadline acquisitions Griffin Jax, Bryan Baker, and multi-year Rays Garrett Cleavinger and Edwin Uceta should feature in the decision.
Griffin Jax –
The Rays acquired Jax at the 2025 trade deadline in an attempt to aid a bullpen that had been struggling to find results. On the surface, the trade didn’t appear to pay huge dividends, as after the trade deadline, Jax matched his 3.59 FIP with a 3.6 ERA. However, under the surface, you see optimism with Jax.
For the majority of the 2025 season, Jax was viewed as one of the “unluckiest” relievers in baseball, hovering around the 4-5 ERA mark the entire season, despite the fact that he was 9th in major league baseball in K-BB%. As you would expect, Jax also posted elite plate discipline metrics, landing in the 90th percentile or better in zone miss% and chase%.
Jax doesn’t have a ton of experience closing out games, primarily serving as the Twins setup man and the Rays last season, using him in multiple different roles, but his raw stuff, paired with his elite peripherals, should absolutely make him a candidate for the closer job.
Bryan Baker –
Baker joined the Rays after an early July trade that practically kicked off last year’s trade deadline, with the Rays attempting to shore up a bullpen that had just lost Manny Rodriguez for the year. On the surface, it seemed like a pretty fringe trade, as Baker had never been a major contributor in Baltimore and had just a 4 FIP through 38.1 innings, but once again, under the hood, you understood the Rays appeal to Baker.
In 2025, Baker had by far the best year of his career, increasing his K-BB% by 7% increase and ultimately landing in the 85th percentile among relievers. Baker pairs a plus fastball with a double-plus changeup that he allowed a pedestrian .155 wOBA, and generated a 36.7% whiff% on the offering.
Bryan’s first month in Tampa Bay (5.2 FIP) was definitely not what the Rays had in mind when they acquired him, but he steadied out and produced a 3.4 FIP to finish out the year. Baker’s career high in zone% helps his case a lot, as he deserves a chance to factor into this decision.
Edwin Uceta –
Uceta’s breakout in 2024 was something to behold. The right-hander burst onto the scene after the 2024 trade deadline, putting up dazzling numbers: 1.70 FIP, 1.7 fWAR, and a 30.8 K-BB% in just 41.2 innings of work. Uceta’s 2025 season became anticipated to see what he could provide, with some even thinking he could take over as the Rays closer.
Edwin’s first two months were about as rough as any Rays reliever I could ever remember. He posted a 5.31 FIP, and his BB% had nearly doubled from the year prior. Uceta not only had lost some feel for the zone, but was also getting barreled up at a 14% clip (1st percentile), and appeared to possibly be a DFA candidate. Uceta tinkered with his mix, slicing his cutter usage in half and leaning more on the fastball and changeup, and that yielded much greater results. His barrel percentage got cut by nearly 10%, his BB% was down 3%, and Edwin’s FIP got to a much tidier 2.27, a number we were more accustomed to seeing.
If Edwin Uceta is the pitcher we have seen for the large majority of his time in Tampa Bay, he is absolutely someone who should factor into replacing Pete Fairbanks.
Garrett Cleavinger –
Cleavinger is the longest tenured Ray on this list, as he has spent the last 3.5 seasons as a member of the Rays. In that time frame, Cleavinger has emerged as an extremely productive player, posting a 21.3 K-BB%. Cleavinger did appear to make a bit of a breakthrough in 2025, even in the poor pitching environment he was a part of.
On the surface, Cleavinger’s FIP essentially sat in line with his entire career (3.59) this prior season, but that was largely inflated due to a 18.8% HR/FB ratio (4% above career average). More indicative of Cleavinger’s on-field results was his 26.3% K-BB% (4th among left-handed relievers). A big part of that productivity was his +7% improvement in zone%, going from someone closer to the 20th percentile to now the 90th percentile.
Cleavinger’s breakout 2025 season should certainly allow him to compete for the highest leverage spot in the bullpen. Garrett, being the lone established left-handed pitcher in the bullpen, might hurt his chances a bit, but at the end of the day, talent should win out for this spot.
The Rays enter the season facing a difficult decision. While they have four legitimate in-house options, replacing someone as reliable as Pete Fairbanks is no small task. Among the candidates, Griffin Jax profiles as the most realistic option, thanks to his combination of elite strike-throwing and swing-and-miss ability.
