If there’s one thing the Tampa Bay Rays excel at, it’s moving on from guys before they become too pricey and replacing them with big league-ready talent of comparable caliber. Time and again, we’ve watched the Rays execute franchise-altering moves only to feel little to no impact from the loss, simply because the rest of their organization is so deep.
This exact scenario is taking place in the 2024 season. At the trade deadline, several high-end position players and starter Zach Eflin were traded, but Jason Adam and Phil Maton were the only bullpen arms who were gone.
In their stead, a pair of underappreciated heroes have risen forward. Both were already with the organization before the deadline, but their responsibilities have grown significantly since then. In fact, they have practically carried the squad throughout the month of August.
Since the trade deadline on July 30, the Rays bullpen has the lowest ERA in baseball. It’s not even close. They’ve thrown the second-most innings, with the second-lowest walk rate and the highest strand rate.
Let’s look at two pitchers who are improving their games more than the rest.
Rays Bullpen Magic Once Again on Full Display
Pete Fairbanks is out with a lat injury, Drew Rasmussen has returned from another injury, and Joel Kuhnel, who is on his third team this season, is soaking up innings as well. Once again, the Rays are making the most of what they have, even if the lineup isn’t particularly appealing on paper.
Edwin Uceta
You may stare at Uceta’s Baseball Reference article for a long time, and his rise from unreliable middle reliever to shutdown stopper simply does not make sense on the surface. He played in the major leagues for the past three years but was unable to establish himself. In fact, he was cut six times over a two-year period before joining Tampa Bay.
He’s now made 19 appearances for the Rays, striking out 36 and walking only four in 30 innings. His H/9 has plummeted by four hits compared to previous years, while his walk rate has decreased by more than two full walks. The Rays are using him often and for more than one inning at a time and he’s been dominant.
Uceta has the second lowest ERA (0.90), the highest xERA (1.53), and the second lowest FIP (1.60) among pitchers with 30 or more innings this season. The 26-year-old has found success with a decreased arm angle and repertoire change. He changed out a four-seamer for a cutter and a curveball for a sweeper. An increase in changeup usage has also benefited him.
| Usage | AVG | xBA | wOBA | Whiff% | Stuff+ | |
| Change | 35.2% | .077 | .157 | .093 | 39.0% | 111 |
| Sinker | 35.5% | .103 | .097 | .124 | 31.2% | 130 |
| Cutter | 24.3% | .233 | .255 | .271 | 23.0% | 127 |
| Sweeper | 4.7% | .000 | .035 | .000 | 14.3% | 90 |
| Curve | 0.7% | .000 | .000 | .000 | 50.0% | 101 |
Edwin Uceta individual pitch stats ( Baseball Savant)
“The idea is that the cutter will help me mix my pitches better, so the changeup can have a bigger impact,” Uceta remarked (via DRaysBay). “I am using my cutter against both righties and lefties. Using my cutter frequently allows my change up to be as effective as possible. The cutter moves in the opposite direction as the change up, which works in my favor because the change is the pitch that keeps batters on their toes.
Manuel Rodriguez
While Uceta has been totally dominant, garnering all the headlines, Rodriguez’s contributions cannot be overlooked. He was acquired last year in a small trade with the Cubs and had been limited to high-minors depth until this year, when he was elevated permanently after Maton was traded away at the deadline.
Rodriguez has a 1.80 ERA and a 223 ERA+ in 26 games, striking out 24 batters and walking nine in 25 innings pitched. His employment is limited to single-inning work, but he has been held scoreless in his five “high leverage” innings this season.
| Usage | AVG | xBA | wOBA | Whiff% | Stuff+ | |
| Slider | 48.1% | .192 | .187 | .246 | 34.9% | 150 |
| Sinker | 33.0% | .292 | .330 | .382 | 12.1% | 102 |
| Four-seam | 17.9% | .077 | .135 | .186 | 30.0% | 90 |
Manuel Rodriguez individual pitch stats ( Baseball Savant)
Rodriguez’s productivity hasn’t been as high as Uceta’s, but that slider is filthy. He’s proven that he belongs at the highest level of the game, and the chances of him being used as a trade replacement again are slim. The Rays have always excelled at getting the most out of their bullpen, and these two pitchers are testament of that.
The Rays’ player development organization is widely recognized as one of the best in baseball. They have repeatedly demonstrated that this is an accolade they fully deserve. The front office and staff have always been able to achieve a lot with little, and while the team is just 64-63 this year, the bullpen has been incredible (in the nicest manner).
