Rays' Edwin Uceta: Progressing in throwing program
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Uceta (shoulder) threw live batting practice Friday, per MLB.com.
Another session is on tap for Uceta on Tuesday, and the hope is that a minor-league rehab assignment will be on the horizon shortly thereafter. The right-hander was in contention to begin the season as one of Tampa Bay's closer options, and it sounds like Uceta has a chance to return from right shoulder soreness and make his season debut by late April. It's worth noting that Griffin Jax has already blown two saves in as many appearances to start the year.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Sent to 15-day injured list
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The Rays placed Uceta (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.
Uceta came down with a right shoulder impingement in February. He resumed mound work in mid-March but still has some building up to do. Uceta has not pitched in a game since last season, so he will require a few rehab appearances once he's deemed game-ready.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Throws off mound
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Uceta (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Saturday, John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
This is the first time Uceta has thrown off a mound since getting a cortisone shot for shoulder inflammation in mid-February. It was reported March 2 that Uceta was unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, but he hasn't been ruled out yet. Griffin Jax, Garrett Cleavinger and Bryan Baker are the top candidates for high-leverage work in the meantime.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Status in doubt for Opening Day
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Uceta (shoulder) is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Pitching coach Kyle Snyder said Monday that Uceta, who's still limited to playing catch, is "probably still another couple of weeks away from getting back on the mound." The 28-year-old right-hander entered Rays camp in the mix for save chances, but now he's at serious risk of having a delayed start to the season. With Uceta's Opening Day status in real jeopardy, Griffin Jax and Garrett Cleavinger appear to be the most likely candidates to close games for Tampa Bay early in the season.
An MRI on Uceta's shoulder revealed inflammation and what looks like a slight impingement, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
All things considered, this is good news for one of the Rays' top bullpen arms. Uceta will receive a cortisone shot, and the hope is that he can resume throwing in a week or so. He will be cutting it close for Opening Day, and Griffin Jax's draft price figures to climb, though it does not sound as though Uceta is currently in danger of missing extended regular-season action.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Undergoes MRI on injured shoulder
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Uceta underwent an MRI on his injured right shoulder Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Uceta had a setback with the shoulder when he played catch Thursday, so he had imaging done and will see a doctor Friday. Even if he doesn't have any structural damage in the shoulder, it will take him time to get ramped up, putting his Opening Day availability in doubt. When healthy, Uceta is expected to be in the mix for saves in the Rays bullpen.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Headed to doctor after setback
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Rays manager Kevin Cash said that Uceta (shoulder) will visit the doctor after he "didn't feel great" the longer he played catch Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Uceta reported to camp with a sore shoulder and has now encountered a setback. More will be know following Uceta's visit to the doctor, but even if he doesn't have structural damage he will need time to get built up. A stint on the injured list to begin the season looks like a distinct possibility. Uceta, if healthy, is among the Rays relievers in the mix to serve as closer this season.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Out for World Baseball Classic
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Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday that Uceta arrived at camp with a "cranky shoulder" and won't be available to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic as a result, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Cash labeled the decision to pull Uceta out of the WBC as precautionary and indicated that the Rays fully expect the right-hander to be ready to go for Opening Day. The team heads into the upcoming season without a set closer after letting Pete Fairbanks walk in free agency, and Uceta could factor into the team's late-inning mix if his shoulder isn't a concern. The 28-year-old netted one save and 21 holds over 70 appearances last season while racking up an impressive 103 strikeouts across 76 frames.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Emerges victorious in arb. hearing
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Uceta will earn $1.525 million in 2026 after winning his arbitration hearing against the Rays, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
The Rays had offered Uceta $1.2 million. He will have three more years of arbitration eligibility. Uceta put up a 3.79 ERA and a 32.1 percent strikeout rate last season with the Rays and is expected to be part of a closer-by-committee during the upcoming season.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Likely part of closer committee
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Uceta, Garrett Cleavinger and Griffin Jax are expected to be part of a closer-by-committee for the Rays next season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Pete Fairbanks easily paced the Rays with 27 saves in 2025, but he is a free agent after the team declined his $11 million option. That leaves a vacancy in the ninth inning, and it seems the Rays plan to fill that void with multiple arms. Uceta finished with a 3.79 ERA in 2025, but he had a 32.1 percent strikeout rate and boasts a 33.3 percent strikeout rate in his two seasons with Tampa Bay.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Escapes with first save of 2025
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Uceta collected the save in the Rays' 6-5 win over the Athletics on Wednesday, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three batters.
After striking out the side in the eighth, Eric Orze was brought out for the ninth to protect the Rays' four-run lead, as Pete Fairbanks was unavailable after pitching the last two days. Orze was quickly pulled after yielding a solo homer to Max Muncy and a double to Austin Wynns, which prompted Uceta's insertion into Wednesday's game. Uceta gave up a single to four of the next five batters, but he managed to protect Tampa Bay's lead by striking out the last two batters he faced. Uceta has coughed up at least one earned run in three of his last five outings but has also collected 14 strikeouts over that span. He sits at a 5.20 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 36.1 innings this season.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Earns fifth win
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Uceta (5-1) didn't allow a baserunner across two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to earn the win Sunday against the Marlins.
Uceta struggled in his appearance Friday, allowing two earned runs on three hits while recording just one out. However, he bounced back Sunday and generated an impressive six swinging strikes on only 25 total pitches while also picking up his fifth win of the season. Uceta has a 4.88 ERA on the campaign, but he has turned in a scoreless effort in seven of his last eight appearances.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Surrenders three earned runs
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Uceta allowed three earned runs on four hits across 0.2 innings Thursday against the Phillies.
Uceta was viewed as one of the top setup men in baseball entering the season, but he hasn't lived up to that billing over the first six weeks. He's allowed at least one earned run in five of his 17 appearances, and more concerningly has a pedestrian 13:6 K:BB across 15.2 frames. Uceta does lead the Rays with six holds, so he remains part of the high-leverage mix behind closer Pete Fairbanks.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Earns fifth save
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Uceta allowed a hit and struck out one batter in a scoreless inning while earning a save against Boston on Friday.
Uceta worked around a one-out single by Vaughn Grissom in the ninth inning to preserve the 2-1 win. It was Uceta's fifth save of the year, with all of them coming during his last 12 appearances. During that span, he's converted each of his five save chances while tallying three holds alongside a 2.77 ERA. For the season, Uceta has produced a terrific 1.51 ERA and 57:8 K:BB through 41.2 innings.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Converts adventurous save
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Uceta allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk while striking out one in the ninth inning to earn the save Sunday against the Blue Jays.
Uceta was called upon to protect a two-run lead and allowed the tying run to reach third base with only one out. However, he recorded the final two outs without allowing the ball out of the infield to record his fourth save of the season. Uceta remains one of the most skilled pitchers in the Rays' bullpen, but a different reliever has now converted each of the team's four save chances.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Suspension reduced to two games
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Uceta's suspension was reduced Wednesday from three games to two games plus a fine, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The reliever's suspension comes after umpires determined he intentionally hit Nick Castellanos with a pitch during Tuesday's loss to Philadelphia. Uceta will begin serving the suspension Wednesday, but the Rays will now be able to add him to their bullpen a day earlier than initially expected.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Serving three-game ban
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Uceta won't appeal the three-game suspension issued by Major League Baseball and will begin serving the ban in Wednesday's series finale in Philadelphia, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Uceta was issued the suspension after he was ejected in the eighth inning of Tuesday's 9-4 loss to the Phillies when umpires determined that he intentionally hit Nick Castellanos with a pitch. In addition to sitting out Wednesday, Uceta will miss games Thursday and Friday in Cleveland before he's eligible to return for the penultimate game of the series Saturday.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Dominant in five-out save
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Uceta notched his second save of the season Sunday against Baltimore, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out four in 1.2 innings.
Called upon to preserve a 2-0 lead with two runners on and one out in the eighth, Uceta promptly struck out the next two batters to escape the jam. Uceta then worked around a single and a walk in the ninth to pick up his second save of the season. Save opportunities have been few and far between, but Uceta has been dominant since Pete Fairbanks (lat) landed on the injured list on Aug. 19, throwing 7.1 scoreless innings with a sparkling 15:2 K:BB during that stretch. The 26-year-old Uceta hasn't allowed a run since July 31 and owns an impressive 0.75 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 50:6 K:BB in 36 innings this season.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Can't complete save chance
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Uceta allowed two hits and struck out two across two-thirds of an inning Tuesday against the Twins.
Uceta was called upon to protect a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning. He allowed consecutive singles to lead off the frame, but he struck out the next two batters he faced before being pulled in favor of Garrett Cleavinger. Despite losing out on a save chance, Uceta has still been excellent since Pete Fairbanks (lat) went on the injured list, racking up an 11:1 K:BB across 5.2 innings while recording a save, a hold and a win.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Back in majors
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The Rays recalled Uceta from Triple-A Durham on Tuesday, Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun reports.
The 26-year-old was up with the Rays for five days in May and will rejoin the big club ahead of Tuesday's matchup with the Mariners. Uceta has pitched four scoreless frames for Tampa Bay but has a 5.77 ERA across 22 outings at Triple-A this year.
