Following their penultimate game of Spring Training, the Tampa Bay Rays optioned right-handed pitcher Kevin Kelly to Triple-A Durham, indicating that left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander and right-handed pitcher Jacob Waguespack have made the Opening Day roster.
Kelly, 26, came to the organization after the Rays selected him in the Rule 5 draft. During the 2023 season, Kelly spent the full campaign at the big league level, allowing the Rays to fully claim him from the Cleveland Guardians, the team with whom he began his professional career in 2019. Kelly made 57 appearances for Tampa Bay in 2023 and compiled a 3.09 ERA | 3.09 FIP with a 20.3 K% and 5.4 BB% over 67 innings pitched. Unfortunately for Kelly, with the Rays having full control over his contract, they are also able to option Kelly to Triple-A. Meanwhile, the Rays didn’t have the same luxury for Kelly’s competition in camp.
Waguespack, 30, last pitched in the big leagues while with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020. During his big league career, Waguespack has appeared in 27 games — 13 starts — all with Toronto. After toiling away in Triple-A for the duration of the 2021 campaign, Waguespack played overseas in Japan and became a high leverage reliever that added few notches to his fastball. This newfound velocity and ability to go multiple innings intrigued the Rays and Waguespack now has a place on their roster serving a long relief option.
Alexander, 29, had spent the entirety of his five seasons in the big leagues as a member of the Detroit Tigers. He would frequently be mixed in and out of their starting rotation, appearing in a total of 120 games, making starts in 43 of them. Most recently Alexander pitched in 25 games — 1 starts — in 2023 and compiled a 4.50 ERA | 4.10 FIP with a 24.3 K% and 2.8 BB% over 44 innings pitched. The Rays picked up Alexander in November after he was waived by the Tigers. As of now, Alexander figures to serve in the backend of the Rays starting rotation.
As for the rest of the Rays Opening Day roster, there are still two spots that remain unresolved.
The Rays have not publicly committed to having Alex Jackson as their backup catcher with the team still mulling over their options. The same can be said for a left-handed hitter, but Austin Shenton seems to be getting a long look. Shenton had been optioned earlier in spring, but was unofficially recalled back to the big league camp following the injury to Jonathan Aranda.
The Rays only have a few more days before they have to make their roster official with a 12pm deadline on Thursday quickly approaching.
