MLB Top 5: Tampa Bay Rays Pitchers

By Kevin Rakas

This is the fifth and final article in a series that looks at the five best players at each position for the Tampa Bay Rays. In this installment are right- and left-handed starters as well as relief pitchers.

The Tampa Bay Rays have had several top-notch starters in the 27-year history. Among the righties are two top talents, as well as the author of the franchise’s only no-hitter. The lefties feature a multiple-time Cy Young Award winner and two other talented southpaws who could have won their own awards if not for injuries.

The Best Pitchers in Tampa Bay Rays History

Right-Handed Starters

Honorable Mentions –Rolando Arrojo is a Cuban-born pitcher who was on the 1992 Olympic-winning club in 1992 but defected to the U. S. before the Summer Games four years later. He signed with the Devil Rays and started the second game in franchise history, earning Tampa Bay’s first victory. Arrojo went on to go 14-12 with a 3.56 earned run average and 152 strikeouts, earning his lone All-Star selection and finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting. He dealt with a hip injury, fell to 7-12 in 1999 and was traded to the Rockies after the season. He spent his final three major league seasons with the Red Sox and ended his playing career with a three-game minor-league stint with the Yankees in 2003.

Jeff Niemann is a 6-foot-9 star with title-winning Rice University who was drafted fourth overall by Tampa Bay in 2004. He made his debut four years later and finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting after using his devastating slider to go 13-6 in 2009. Niemann followed with two more seasons with double-digit victories before injuries hit. He suffered a fractured leg after being hit with a line drive in 2012 and underwent shoulder surgery, which caused him to miss the following season. Niemann never pitched again, finishing his five-year major league career (2008-12) with a 40-26 record (tied for seventh in franchise history), a 4.08 earned run average, 409 strikeouts in 544 1/3 innings, four complete games (tied for sixth) and three shutouts (tied for second). Niemann is now a high school baseball coach in Colorado.

Jeremy Hellickson is an Iowa native who was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2005. He appeared in the 2010 MLB All-Star Futures Game, starting and winning the contest for Team USA. Hellickson made his major league debut later that season, going 4-0 in 10 appearances split between starting and the bullpen. Thanks to a sinker and changeup, he set career bests with a 13-10 record, a 2.95 earned run average and 189 innings to win the Rookie of the Year Award in 2011. Hellickson reached double figures in wins each of the next two years, but his ERA ballooned by more than two runs per game in 2013. He was traded to the Diamondbacks two years later, finishing his time with the Rays ranked fifth in ERA (3.78), seventh in innings (640) and tied for seventh in wins (40-36) and starts (108) to go with 463 strikeouts. Hellickson started two postseason games, going 0-1 over five innings. He spent time with four clubs, finishing his 10-year career with the Nationals in 2019. Hellickson officially retired the following year after suffering a setback after shoulder surgery.

Charlie Morton was drafted by Atlanta, made his mark in Pittsburgh and won a championship with Houston in 2017 before joining Tampa Bay as a free agent two years later. Relying on a sinker and four-seam fastball, he responded with his best season in 2019, setting career highs with a 16-6 record, a 3.05 earned run average and 240 strikeouts in 194 2/3 innings. The stellar season resulted in his second straight All-Star selection and a third-place finish in the Cy Young voting. Morton dealt with shoulder issues in the COVID-shortened campaign but went 3-0 in the in the early rounds of the playoffs before losing his only start against the Dodgers in the World Series. He signed with the Braves in 2021, winning a title with Atlanta in his first season, and has recently completed his fourth season with his original club.

Jake Odorozzi is an Illinois native who was drafted by the Brewers in 2009, sent to the Royals in the Zack Grienke deal two years later and was traded to the Rays in 2012 in a move that also involved the top name on this list. After spending most of the next season in the minor leagues, Odorizzi earned Rookie of the Year consideration in 2014, his first of three seasons with double digit victories in a four-year span. Despite possessing one of the most devastating fastballs in the game, he was prone to giving up the home run, allowing 20 or more three times with Tampa Bay. Odorizzi spent five seasons with the Rays (2013-17), and he ranks fifth in franchise history in starts (124), sixth in earned run average (3.82), innings (698) and strikeouts (639) and tied for seventh in wins (40-37). He was traded to the Twins in 2018, won 15 games and earned his lone All-Star selection the following year and spent time with the Astros and Braves. Odorizzi signed with the Rangers but missed all of 2023 due to shoulder surgery, and he hasn’t pitched since he was released by the Rays after two minor league starts the following year.

5. Tyler Glasnow – He has shown quite a bit of promise during his major league career, but nearly every season has been derailed by arm issues. The University of Portland product was drafted by the Pirates in 2011 and sent to the Rays in 2018 in a trade involving another pitcher on this list. Glasnow was having an All-Star caliber season (6-1, 1.78 earned run average) through 12 starts before suffering a strained arm. He had five wins in each of the next two seasons, which were interrupted by the COVID pandemic as well as a UCL tear and flexor strain, leading to Tommy John surgery and costing him half of 2021 and all but two starts the following year. After missing the first two months of 2023 with an oblique strain, he set a career high with a 10-7 record to go with 162 strikeouts. Over six partial seasons in Tampa Bay (2019-23), Glasnow had a 27-16 record with a 3.20 ERA and 526 strikeouts (eighth in franchise history) in 388 1/3 innings over 71 starts. He went 2-6 with 61 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings in 10 postseason starts but lost both of his starts in the 2020 World Series. Glasnow was traded to the Rays’ opponent in that series, the Dodgers and signed a massive extension, then earned his first career All-Star selection in 2024.

4. Matt Garza – Although he does not sit as high on the list of Rays records as some of the pitchers previously mentioned, he authored some of the best pitching performances in team history. Garza was a first-round pick of the Twins in 2005 and was traded to the Rays two years later. He only spent three seasons with Tampa Bay, but he used two- and four-seam fastballs, along with a hard slider, to rack up strikeouts. Garza was part of the team’s run to the 2008 World Series, earning ALCS MVP honors after two dominant outings against the Red Sox. After striking out 189 batters the following season, he won a career-best 15 games in 2010. In late July, he had a dominating performance against July, throwing what is still the only no-hitter in franchise history with a 5-0 victory over the Tigers. Garza was traded to the Cubs in a deal involving another pitcher on this list in 2011, finishing his Rays career tied for second in franchise history in shutouts (three), tied for third in complete games (six), seventh in earned run average (3.86), eighth in innings (592 1/3), tied for ninth in starts (94) and tied for tenth in strikeouts (467) to go with a 34-31 record. He also pitched for the Rangers and Brewers but has not taken the mound since undergoing surgery to replace a torn labrum in 2018.

3. Alex Cobb – The Boston native was a draft pick of the Rays in 2006 and made his debut after five seasons in the minors. Cobb posted double-digit win totals in his first three full seasons, when he went 11-3 with a career-best 2.76 earned run average despite missing nearly two months after being hit in the head with a line drive in June. The following year, Major League Baseball approved a protective cap for pitchers to wear in an effort to cut down on the number of head injuries. Cobb missed the entire 2015 season after suffering a partial ulnar collateral ligament that required Tommy John surgery. He returned the following year for five starts and won a career-best 12 games in 2017 after swapping out his splitter and replacing it with a four-seam fastball. Cobb signed with the Orioles after the season, finishing his six-year tenure in Tampa Bay (2011-14 and 16-17) ranked third in franchise history in ERA (3.50), fifth in wins (48-35) and innings (700), sixth in starts (115), seventh in strikeouts (570) and tied for tenth in complete games (three). He also spent time with the Angels, Giants and Guardians, earning his first All-Star selection with San Francisco in 2023 and pitching with Cleveland into the ALCS in the current season.

2. Chris Archer – The North Carolina native was raised and eventually adopted by his grandparents, was drafted by the Indians and spent a brief time in the Cubs organization before he was traded to the Rays in the deal also involving Garza before the 2011 season. Archer made his major league debut the following year, reached double figures in wins three times during his Rays tenure and produced nine victories in two other seasons. In 2013, he finished in third in the Rookie of the Year voting after going 9-7 for a Tampa Bay team that reached the Division Series. After signing a contract extension and winning 10 games the following year, he set a career-high with a 12-13 record, a franchise record 252 strikeouts and 212 innings and earned his first All-Star selection and Cy Young Award consideration for his efforts.

Although Archer struck out 233 batters in 2016, his ERA jumped to 4.02 and the Rays dropped off, leading to the hard-throwing righty topping the American League with 19 losses. He went 10-12 the following year and improved his strikeouts to 249, which ranks second in team history. Archer was traded to the Pirates in 2018, but he struggled in two seasons with Pittsburgh and missed the COVID-shortened campaign after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery. He came back to Tampa Bay in 2021 but pitched in just six games due to forearm tightness. Archer ended his eight-year tenure with the Rays (2012-18 and ’21) ranked second in franchise history in starts (182) and strikeouts (1,167), tied for second in shutouts (three), third in innings (1,082 1/3), tied for third in wins (55-69), fourth in ERA (3.71) and tied for tenth in complete games (three). Following a season with the Twins, he retired to work in the baseball operations department with the Dodgers.

1. James Shields – The high school star in Southern California was drafted by the Devil Rays in 2000 and underwent shoulder surgery while he was in the minors. The surgery caused him to lose velocity on both his four- and two-seam fastballs, but he developed a hitch in his delivery and a steady changeup to complement his repertoire. Shields made his big-league debut in 2006 and was inconsistent as a rookie before rattling off six straight seasons with double-digit victories, 200 or more inning and at least 160 strikeouts. He made his first Opening Day start in 2008 and responded by going 14-8 and leading his team to the playoffs for the first time. Known for his ability to perform in the toughest of scenarios, “Big Game James” made four postseason starts, including Game 2 against the Phillies, which was the Rays’ first World Series win and the only victory in the series.

The following year, Shields lost a no-hitter in the eighth inning in an August game against the Royals, and he had a rough couple of seasons before bouncing back in 2011. That season, he finished third in the Cy Young Award voting and was selected to his only All-Star team after setting personal bests with a 16-12 record, a 2.82 earned run average and 225 strikeouts while also posting team records with 249 1/3 innings, 11 complete games and four shutouts, with those last two stats leading the league. In 2012, Shields won 15 games but received little run support, which was evident in his final start of the season, when he struck out a team-record 15 batters, but lost to the Orioles, 1-0. He was traded to the Royals after the season, finishing as the all-time franchise leader in wins (87-73), innings (1,454 2/3), strikeouts (1,250), starts (217), complete games (19) and shutouts (eight), and he ranked ninth in ERA (3.89). Shields went 2-4 in six postseason starts with Tampa Bay and lost both of his starts with Kansas City in the 2014 World Series. He also pitched with the Padres and White Sox and retired following the 2018 season.

Left-Handed Starters

Honorable Mentions – Joe Kennedy was drafted by Tampa Bay in 1998 and spent three seasons toiling in the dark early days of the franchise. Despite being a power pitcher, he did not have a high strikeout rate, using his three-quarter delivery to go 18-31 in three seasons (2001-03) and register six complete games, including five in 2002, which ranks second in team history. Kennedy’s numbers fell off the following year due to an arm injury, and he was traded to Colorado the following year, spending time with the Rockies, Athletics, Diamondbacks and Blue Jays. Following the 2007 season, he was preparing to be the best man at a friend’s wedding in Florida when he woke up in the middle of the night, collapsed and died at the hospital at age 28. The cause of death was later found to be hypertensive heart disease.

The Rays were the first team to popularize the use of the “opener,” a concept in which a short reliever would open the game and give way to a more traditional starter (for Tampa Bay, they were called “bulk guys”). An example of the latter was Ryan Yarbrough, a Texas native who was drafted by the Mariners in 2014 and traded to the Rays three years later. Although his stats show he technically came out of the bullpen most of the time, he registered more than 140 innings three times in five seasons (2018-22). His best season with Tampa Bay was his first, when he set career bests with a 16-6 record and 128 strikeouts to go with a 3.91 earned run average. He followed that with an 11-6 mark in 2019, won a game during the ALCS against the Astros the following year and pitched three times in the World Series loss to the Dodgers. Yarbrough the Tampa Bay’s first complete game victory in five years in 2021 and finished his tenure tied for seventh in franchise history in wins (40-31), ninth in innings (579 2/3) and tied for tenth in strikeouts (467). He bounced around between three teams over the next two years, ending the 2024 season with the Blue Jays after he was traded from the Dodgers for former Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier.

5. Matt Moore – He was born in the Florida Panhandle and spent time in Japan as a youth while his father worked with the U. S. Air Force. Moore was drafted by the Rays in 2007 and made his debut four years later, winning his only decision in the regular season and throwing a Game 1 victory during a loss to the Rangers in the Division Series. He won 11 games and struck out 175 batters in 2012 and earned his only All-Star selection to date after going 17-4 with a 3.29 earned run average the following year. He missed a considerable amount of time during the 2014-15 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Moore returned and went 7-7 before being traded to the Giants, ending his six-year run with the franchise (2011-16) eighth in franchise history in ERA (3.88), ninth in strikeouts (494) and tied for ninth (94) to go with a 39-28 record and 540 innings. The curveball specialist bounced around between seven teams over the next seven seasons, pitched in Japan in 2020 and had a second stint with the Angels in 2024.

4. Shane McClanahan – The Baltimore native underwent Tommy John surgery while he was in college and was selected in the first round by the Rays in 2018. Even though he didn’t pitch during the regular season, McClanahan appeared in four games during the 2020 playoffs, including once during the World Series. He posted double-digit win totals in each of the next three seasons, earning Rookie of the Year consideration in 2021 and earning All-Star selections the next two campaigns, including starting the 2022 Midsummer Classic. With a deep repertoire of pitches led by a stellar four-seam fastball, McClanahan started the following year 11-2 before a back injury sidelined him, and a second Tommy John surgery cost him the entire 2024 season. He is currently 33-16 with a 3.02 earned run average and 456 strikeouts in 404 2/3 innings, and his 2.54 ERA in 2022 is second-best in team history.

3. Scott Kazmir – Like “Generation K” nearly a decade before, he was a top pitching prospect that was going to be the future of the Mets. Instead, he was sent to the Devil Rays at the 2004 trade deadline for Victor Zambrano in what was considered one of the worst deals in the New York franchise’s history. Zambrano went just 10-14 in three injury-plagued seasons while Kazmir used his four-seam fastball and slider to run off four straight campaigns with double-digit victories and become one of the best young pitchers in baseball. He earned two All-Star selections but did not receive any such recognition in arguably his best season. In 2007, Kazmir set personal bests with a 13-9 record, 206 2/3 innings and a league-leading 239 strikeouts, which ranks third in team history. He dealt with an elbow injury at the start of the following season but recovered to win 12 games and go 1-1 in five playoff starts.

Kazmir dealt with more elbow issues in 2009, with his earned run average skyrocketing before a trade to the Angels in August. He ended his six-year run with Tampa Bay (2004-09) tied for third in franchise history in wins (55-44), fourth in starts (144), innings (834) and strikeouts (874) and tenth in ERA (3.92). Kazmir’s time with the Angels was shorts due to arm issues, and he played in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and with an independent team in the U. S. in 2012 before coming back. He had solid seasons with the Indians and Athletics and a decent one with the Dodgers in 2016 before more injuries forced him to retire. Kazmir made one final comeback attempt with San Francisco, going 0-1 in five appearances in 2021 before leaving the game once again.

2. Blake Snell – The southpaw from Seattle was selected as a first-round supplemental pick by the Rays in 2011. After five seasons in the minor leagues, Snell made his debut but was inconsistent over his first two years. He came back from a minor league demotion in 2017 and was a light-out pitcher for the next year and a half. Using a four-seam fastball and curve, Snell put together a stellar season in 2018, winning the Cy Young Award and earning his only All-Star selection to date after setting team records with a 21-5 record and a 1.89 earned run average to go with 221 strikeouts in 180 2/3 innings. He missed several starts the following year while undergoing elbow surgery and went 4-2 during the COVID-shortened 2020 season after making questionable comments concerning his salary during the pandemic. In the postseason, Snell went 1-2 in five starts, but his defining moment in those playoffs came in the World Series, when he was pulled with one out in the sixth inning leading 1-0 in Game 6. The Dodgers scored two runs off the reliever and went on to win the game 3-1 for their first title since 1988.

The Rays traded “Snellzilla” to the Padres after the season, and he ended his five-year run in Tampa Bay (2016-2020) ranked second in franchise history in ERA (3.24), fifth in strikeouts (648), sixth in wins (42-30), tied for seventh in starts (108) and tenth in innings (556). He went 2-3 with one save and 44 strikeouts in 35 innings over nine playoff appearances with the Rays, including seven starts. Snell won a second Cy Young Award after posting a 14-9 record with a league-leading 2.25 ERA with San Diego in 2023 and signed with San Francisco the following year, going 5-3 in 20 starts.

1. David Price – The Tennessee native and Vanderbilt product was selected first overall by the Devil Rays in 2007, their last draft before dropping the “Devil” from their name. Using a pair of mid-90s fastballs and a cutter, Price quickly rose through the minor leagues and made five appearances mostly in relief the following season. He came out of the bullpen during the team’s run through the playoffs, going 1-0 with one save in five appearances, including two against the Phillies in the World Series. Beginning in 2009, Price jumped into the rotation, reaching double figures in wins in six straight seasons. He broke out the following year, going 19-6 with a 2.72 earned run average and 188 strikeouts to earn his first of four All-Star selections with the Rays and finish as the runner-up in the Cy Young Award voting. Two years later, he took home the elusive honor after leading the league with 20 wins (second in team history) and a 2.56 ERA (third) to go with 205 strikeouts in 211 innings.

Price saw his numbers drop in 2013, although he led the league in complete games. He earned his fourth and final All-Star selection the following year, going 11-8 with 189 strikeouts with the Rays before being sent to the Tigers in a three-team deal at the trade deadline. Price finished with a league-best 271 strikeouts, then followed that with a 2015 season in which he went 18-5, with an A. L.-leading 2.45 ERA and finished second in the Cy Young voting while playing for both Detroit and Toronto. He had two stellar seasons with Boston, including 2018, when he went 2-0 in a World Series victory over Los Angeles. Price also dealt with elbow issues with the Red Sox and opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID 19 pandemic before signing with the Dodgers and coming out of the bullpen for the next two years.

The 2018 Comeback Player of the Year Award winner spent seven years in total with the Rays (2008-14), finishing his tenure as the all-time franchise leader in earned run average (3.18). He also ranks second in wins (82-47), innings (1,143 2/3) and complete games (10), third in starts (170) and strikeouts (1,065) and tied for fifth in shutouts (two). In nine playoff appearances with Tampa Bay, including four starts, Price went 1-4 with one save and 30 strikeouts in 32 innings. He retired following the 2022 season, finishing his 14-year career with a 157-82 record, a 3.32 ERA and 2,076 strikeouts.

Relief Pitchers

Honorable Mentions –Esteban Yan was born in the Dominican Republic and split his 11-year major league career among seven teams. After a brief two-year stint in Baltimore, he was selected by Tampa Bay in the expansion draft, working in long relief for his first three years before being put in the closer role in 2001. Yan was a solid strikeout pitcher in the franchise’s early years, converting 22 saves in his first year and 19 more in 2002 before he was removed from the role. He ended his five-year run with the Devil Rays (1998-2002) with a 26-30 record, 351 strikeouts in 418 2/3 innings, 266 appearances (fourth in franchise history) and 42 saves (seventh). Yan played with five teams over the next six years and also played in Japan, Korea and Mexico before retiring in 2012.

Lance Carter had a long route to major league success. He was drafted by the Royals and spent all of the next seven season in the minors, save for a six-game stint in Kansas City in 1999. He was out of baseball completely in 2001 and signed with Tampa Bay, where he spent the next four years (2002-05). Carter showed enough promise in his brief time with the Devil Rays that he was given the closer role in 2003. He responded with a career year, going 7-5 with 26 saves and earning his lone All-Star selection. Carter and another reliever on this list were traded to the Dodgers in 2006. He retired after a year in Los Angeles, another in Japan and a third injured in the Toronto minor league system. Following his playing career, he became a pitching coach, first for the University of South Florida, then at the minor league level for several big-league clubs, most recently the Braves.

If this list went by overall major league careers, Troy Percival would be at the top. He was drafted by the Angels as a catcher in 1990 but turned into one of the most dominant closers of his era. With the California/Anaheim franchise, Percival saved a team-record 316 games, earned four All-Star selections and topped the 30-save plateau seven times in 10 seasons. He was an integral part of the Angels’ championship in 2002, earning seven saves in the playoffs, including three against the Giants in the World Series. Percival spent the 2005 season with Detroit but suffered a serious arm injury that caused him to miss the following campaign. He returned for a year as a setup man with the Cardinals and two more with the Rays, amassing 28 saves in 2008 and six more the following year before stepping away from playing for good following back surgery. Percival spent a decade as a high school and college coach in California (including at his alma mater, UC Riverside). He is currently the manager of an independent team in Idaho.

Joel Peralta is a native of the Dominican Republic who signed with the Athletics in 1996. He took nearly a decade to make his major league debut, which occurred in 2005 with the Angels. After stints as a middle reliever with the Royals, Rockies and Nationals, Peralta signed with the Rays in 2011. He was a workhorse out of the ‘pen for Tampa Bay, appearing in 296 games (second-most in franchise history), including a league-leading 80 in 2013. He totaled 69 or more games in each of his four seasons with the club (2011-14) while using a capable splitter to go 11-22 with a 3.58 earned run average and register more strikeouts (293) than innings (269 1/3). Peralta’s lone blemish came in 2012, when he was found with pine tar in his glove, leading to an eight-game suspension. He spent time with the Dodgers, Mariners and Cubs before retiring in 2016.

Jake McGee is a San Jose native who was drafted by the Devil Rays in 2003 and spent nearly seven seasons in the minor leagues before making his Tampa Bay debut in 2010. A hard-throwing lefty known for his unique “clockhands” delivery, McGee was inconsistent over his first three seasons before putting things together in 2014, going 5-2 with a 1.89 earned run average, 90 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings and 19 saves. He had knee surgery the following year and was traded to the Rockies in 2016, finishing his six-year Rays career (2010-15) as the all-time franchise leader with 297 appearances to go with a 21-11 record, a 2.77 ERA, 26 saves and 319 strikeouts in 259 2/3 innings. After a four-year stint in Colorado, McGee spent time with four other teams, retiring in early 2023.

Brad Boxberger was drafted by the Reds in 2009 and traded to the Padres two years later before being sent to the Rays in 2014. He made an impression in his first season with the club, striking out three batters on nine pitches after coming in with the bases loaded in a game in May, becoming just the second Rays player to throw an immaculate inning. After McGee went down with an injury, Boxberger took over as closer in 2015, earning his only All-Star selection and leading the league with 41 saves. His next two seasons were marred by injuries, and he was reduced to a setup role upon his return. Boxberger was traded to the Diamondbacks and registered 32 saves in 2018, then spent time with the Royals, Marlins, Brewers and Cubs but didn’t appear in the major leagues in 2024.

Andrew Kittredge signed with the Mariners, was traded to the Rays in 2016 and made his debut the following year, posting a career-best 1.76 earned run average in 15 appearances. He was used as a short reliever his first few years and missed most of 2020 with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, Kittredge had his best season in 2021, when he earned his only All-Star selection to date after going 9-3 with a 1.88 ERA, 77 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings and eight saves. He had five more in 2022 before, like many other pitchers on these Rays lists, he had Tommy John surgery. Tampa Bay traded Kittredge to St. Louis before the 2024 season, and he finished his seven-year stint with the Rays (2017-23) with an 18-7 record, a 3.65 ERA, 206 strikeouts in 214 2/3 innings and 15 saves.

5. Rafael Soriano – He converted from outfielder to pitcher in the minor leagues after signing with the Mariners as a teenager. The hard-throwing native of the Dominican Republic used a four-seam fastball and slider to strike out more than a batter per game with Seattle and Atlanta before he was traded to Tampa Bay before the 2010 season. Soriano only spent one campaign with the Rays, but he made people take notice. He earned the only All-Star selection of his career, won the Rolaids Relief Man Award, threw an immaculate inning and earned votes for both Cy Young and MVP after leading the league and setting a franchise record with 45 saves (which is now third on the team’s all-time list). Soriano had similar outputs over the next four years with the Yankees and Nationals then finished his career with a brief stint with the Cubs in 2015 and a spring training tryout with the Blue Jays the following season before retiring.

4. Danys Baez – He defected from Cuba during the 1999 Pan American Games and signed with Cleveland, where he spent the next five years. Baez joined the Rays as a free agent in 2005 and was the team’s closer for each of his two seasons in Tampa Bay. He converted 30 of 33 chances in his first campaign and was even better in his second, earning an All-Star selection after going 5-4 with a 2.86 earned run average and 41 saves. Baez played for four teams in his final five seasons, missed the entire 2008 campaign following Tommy John surgery and finished his career in 2012.

3. Fernando Rodney – The Dominican Republic native played for 11 teams over a 17-year major league career. He spent his first seven years with Detroit and, after a brief time with the Angels he signed with the Rays in 2012. The man known for his bow and arrow demonstration when celebrating saves registered a franchise-record 48 with Tampa Bay. His stellar season included a nearly unhittable 0.60 earned run average, his first All-Star selection, Cy Young and MVP consideration and both the Comeback Player and Delivery Man of the Year awards. The following year, Rodney added 37 saves, giving him 85 overall, which ranks third in franchise history. He continued his journey around major league clubhouses, playing for eight teams over his final six seasons, ending his career by winning a title with the Nationals in 2019. Rodney also played independent ball in the U. S. and spent three seasons in Mexico.

2. Alex Colome – The Rays found another gem from the Dominican Republic when they signed him as an 18-year-old in 2007. After more than six seasons in the minor leagues, Colome was called up to Tampa Bay as a starter in 2013. He overcame a drug suspension and converted to the bullpen two years later, becoming one of the most dominating closers in the league. Colome earned his only All-Star selection in 2016, posting a 1.91 earned run average, 37 saves and 71 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings. Although his ERA and strikeout rate declined the following year, he led the league with 47 saves, which ranks second in team history. Colome was traded to the Mariners during the 2018 season, ending his six-year Rays tenure (2013-18) ranked second in saves (95) and tenth in appearances (196) to go with a 17-18 record, a 3.21 ERA and 265 strikeouts in 294 1/3 innings. He bounced around over the next five seasons and spent 2024 in the Mexican League.

1. Roberto Hernandez – He was born in Puerto Rico and moved to New York City at age two. Originally a catcher, Hernandez converted to the mound while he was in college and was drafted in the first round by the Angels in 1986. He was traded to the White Sox, topped the 30-save mark three times with Chicago and had a brief stint in San Francisco before signing with Tampa Bay in 1998. Hernandez saved 26 games for the expansion Devil Rays and was a bright spot on a bad team in its early years. Tampa Bay won just 69 games in 1999, but he had 43 saves, which was a personal best and a team record at the time and led to his second and final All-Star selection. Hernandez added 32 saves the following year but was traded to the Royals in a three-team deal in the offseason, finishing as the all-time franchise leader with 101 saves and ranked ninth in team history with 207 appearances to go with an 8-16 record and a 3.43 earned run average. He played for seven teams over his final seven seasons (including two stints with his hometown Mets) and finished his 17-year career in 2007 with 326 saves and 1,010 games.

The next team to be featured will be the Texas Rangers.