Garrett Cleavinger's Future: A Closer Committee Role for the Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are making some strategic moves as they prepare for the 2026 season. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the team is expected to form a closer-by-committee, with Cleavinger, Griffin Jax, and Edwin Uceta as key members. This approach is a significant shift from their previous strategy.
The Rays' decision to decline Pete Fairbanks' $11 million option opens up a ninth-inning vacancy. The plan is to fill this role with multiple players, and Cleavinger is a strong contender. In the 2025 season, Cleavinger had his best performance yet, boasting a 2.35 ERA and an impressive 82:18 K:BB ratio over 61.1 innings. His neutral splits indicate that he won't face any matchups disadvantages, making him a reliable choice for save situations.
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