The Rays selected Whitley's contract from Triple-A Durham on Thursday.
Whitley struggled in his 12 big-league innings last season, posting a 13.50 ERA and a 2.25 WHIP across appearances with Houston and Tampa Bay. The 28-year-old posted a more palatable 2.60 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP across 55.1 innings at Triple-A Durham, however.