The Tampa Bay Rays were running roughshod when they swept the Kansas City Royals in late June. What could possibly go wrong for a team that was playing such complementary baseball? Well, a 4-8 stretch cooled things down a bit in the kingdom of the Rays. Still, they are putting themselves in a position to patch up some of the holes exposed during this slump. A pair of relievers from an American League rival may be the answer.
Rumors Have the Rays Targeting Bullpen Help
A pair of Minnesota Twins relievers are being linked to the Rays, who are trending into the buy category as the month of July rolls on. ESPN’s Jeff Passan proposed the Rays trade for reliever Griffin Jax of the Minnesota Twins and listing “relief pitching” as the team’s biggest weakness. Passan wrote, “This is the best match, not necessarily the likeliest.” Reliever Brock Stewart was mentioned as another piece the Rays could trade for. The pair of relievers both have a similar amount of remaining team control, but Stewart is cheaper in terms of his salary this season.
Free at ESPN: There are 16 teams in MLB over .500. Who are the best fits for them at the trade deadline? An overarching look at the landscape and where baseball stands three weeks before July 31. https://t.co/Saem5wxN1X
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 10, 2025
The Minnesota Twins Are an Ideal Trade Partner
The Minnesota Twins were the team of the month in May with a 13-game winning streak. Things have cooled off, and the Twins should view the upcoming seller’s market as a chance to reload the farm system. The starting rotation has struggled mightily. The bullpen has plenty of depth, so a trade could work for the Minnesota franchise on a number of levels.
Jax will be an unrestricted free agent in 2028 and is making a little over $2 million this season. He has a 4.12 ERA, 1.92 FIP, and a 64-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 42 games and 39 1/3 innings pitched this season. A .404 BABIP is elevated and perhaps indicates Jax has been unlucky. The 30-year-old has played his entire career with the Twins and posted solid numbers. He pitched to an ERA of 3.06, 241 strikeouts, and 15 saves in 208 appearances between the 2022 and 2024 seasons.
Stewart is the underhanded but equally dominant reliever. Toting a 2.57 earned run average across 28 innings, he missed time this season due to injuries. A stout 31.9% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate demonstrate that he is healthy and on the upswing now. In his last 10 appearances, Stewart has yielded only one earned run on nine hits and 10 strikeouts in nine innings. These two pitchers aren’t on the same level as Jhoan Duran, but they fit nicely for teams in search of bullpen help.
The Rays Can Use Bullpen Help
The Rays and every other contender can use some bullpen help. The biggest factor behind this 4-8 stretch is leaky relief pitching. Edwin Uceta is experiencing a turbulent season one year after he opened eyes with dominant relief work. A handful of other members in the relief corps have been leaking oil recently. For a franchise that relies so much on pitching and defense, the Rays can’t afford to spring any more leaks in those areas.
The Rays are expecting the healthy return of Manuel Rodriguez. Bryan Baker was recently added in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles. Pete Fairbanks is still having a great season. The Rays bullpen is in the middle of the pack in terms of ERA, but the starters need to feel confident that they can hand leads to relievers. The front office will need to weigh the bullpen upgrades against potential offensive upgrades. The Rays have a lot of balls in the air, but fans should expect this front office to approach this deadline like they have in the recent past.
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