February 21: Uceta has inflammation and a slight impingement in his shoulder, per Rays manager Kevin Cash (link via Topkin). He received a cortisone shot and will start throwing next weekend, though it isn’t clear if he’ll be ready for Opening Day.
February 19: Rays right-hander Edwin Uceta is headed for testing after experiencing shoulder discomfort early in camp, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Uceta had been planning to pitch for his native Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, but those plans were nixed earlier in camp due to what manager Kevin Cash described as a “cranky” right shoulder. He’s been resting that shoulder and attempted to play catch today but “didn’t feel great” when he did so, per Cash.
Uceta, 28, pitched for four different organizations (Dodgers, D-backs, Mets, Cubs) before landing with the Rays on a minor league deal in the 2023-24 offseason. He’d posted a 5.80 earned run average in 40 1/3 big league innings prior to his time in Tampa Bay, but the Rays’ vaunted pitch lab immediately unlocked something in the hard-throwing righty.
In 2024, Uceta erupted with a 1.51 ERA across 41 2/3 innings, fanning a mammoth 35.8% of the batters he faced against a minuscule 5% walk rate. His 2025 follow-up wasn’t quite as dominant but still resulted in a team-leading 76 relief innings and a 3.79 earned run average. He didn’t quite replicate his sensational rate stats from the ’24 season, but his 32.1% strikeout rate was still excellent and his 8.4% walk rate was about average.
Overall, Uceta has a 2.98 ERA with terrific strikeout and walk rates in 113 2/3 innings with the Rays. His breakout has quickly thrust him into a high-leverage role. He’s saved six games and picked up 28 holds in his two years as a Ray.
With longtime closer Pete Fairbanks out the door, Uceta was among the favorites to take over ninth-inning duties for Cash. If this shoulder injury proves to be relatively minor, that could still be the case. For now, his spring ramp-up is on hold while the team awaits medical evaluation.
There are other potential implications for the Rays. They’ve been receiving recent interest in left-hander Garrett Cleavinger, who has also emerged as a quality late-inning option after being plucked from relative obscurity. However, if the Rays fear a prolonged absence for Uceta, that might make them more wary about parting with Cleavinger in any trade.
Oh man- Uceta is awesome- please let this be minor!!!
Yeah that sucks, hopefully it’s nothing too bad.
The ‘pitching lab’ and Kyle Snyder’s teachings are crap! How many arms have they ruined and how many Tommy John Surgeries are they responsible for?? McClanahan, Springs, Glasnow, McKay, Rasmussen was out for a while, I’m sure there are others I am forgetting. Now Uceta. Just teach them to throw stuff over the plate and not worry about speed and spin rate.
You’re saying this like rays pitchers are the only ones to ever get arm injuries
No, I’m saying that these clubs that buy 100% into velocity and spin rate tend to have more Tommy John guys. Dodgers have been another one that joined the bandwagon (probably because of Friedman). Twins, Orioles, Marlins are ones that have had lots of guys go down too.
For the record McClanahan and Rasmussen had 2 elbow surgeries each before they were with the Rays..
All teams have plenty of pitching injuries. Look at the Braves the past couple of years.
Uceta mouthful!
Now I remember why baseball season sucks because half the league pitchers end up getting hurt.
There’s plenty of replacements waiting in the wings.
Rays cheap gong show continues… these aren’t the TB of yesteryear, and put me down for Cash not lasting thru the season…
That is always a possibility, but they would be fools to let him go. He and his staff have done wonders with the castoffs they’ve picked up off the scrap heap over the years he has been at the helm.
But he tolerates the wreckage that the ‘pitching lab’ causes. Imagine if they had McClanahan, Rasmussen, Pepiot, and others healthy for a full season. There have been so many Rays pitchers that have had Tommy John because they are trying to throw 1,000 MPH with max spin rate. He tolerates Mottola’s preaching of striking out 200 times per season and hitting .200 as long as you have a good launch angle. If the ownership isn’t going to spend money, you have to try other ways to better the team. The spin rate and velocity isn’t working. The launch angle isn’t working. Try another way. Cash gets the glory for the good years when they actually had 1 or 2 good hitters and pitchers, but they have failed to make the playoffs now that they have the pitching lab ruining their whole roster. I’ve been a Rays fan since day 1, and it’s time for Cash, Snyder, and Mottola to go. See if Davey Martinez or Quinton McCracken or maybe John Flaherty want to come back to the Rays and give it a try.
For the record McClanahan and Rasmussen had 2 elbow surgeries each before they were with the Rays.
Davey Martinez? As a Washington fan, I saw enough of him to say he is an horrible manager.
So anyone could’ve got them to win in 2019?
Given the Rays demonstrated ability to find good relievers on the cheap, they should be willing to move Cleavinger for a quality position player or prospect. If they find out that Uceta needs to miss some time, they might be better off waiting a bit. But relievers grow on trees in Tampa Bay, so if they get a nice offer for Cleavinger, I say take it.
No it’s pretty clear he WON’T be ready for Opening Day.
Fantasy baseballers–prep to draft Griffin Jax.
I was just going to say that. He has to be the favorite for saves
Speaking of the Cubs and bullpens, in yesterdays Cubs / Sox opener, Porter Hodge walked four. Shaky start to the spring.
He looks like he is falling down the MiLB depth chart. Rays should make a trade for Hodge.
White Sox won that game 8-1 on some good bullpen pitching and a pair of homers from Austin Hays and Sam Antonacci.
Always great to beat the Cubs.
Too bad that’s the going to be thehigh water mark of the season for the White Sox
Pretty good pitching today, an 11-2 drubbing of the A’s. Hicks through a scoreless inning, so did Wilkeman Gonzalez.
Brooks Baldwin went deep today, thats a good sign. Acuna looking good early.
Cubs fall to 0-2.
You hanging your hopes on spring training records?
I dont have the Sox winning the Central, I picked the Guardians, Tigers for one two in that order but I think we can play with the Royals and the Twins.
If Cleveland and Detroit both suffer more than a handful of setbacks, I think the White Sox could rise to the top.
We were playing well at the end of last season. We have a lot of good young pitching and a pair of guys who can hit 40 HRs in Montgomery and Murakami.
I like our team a lot, I did last season too.
I have had shoulder inflammation for around 6 months
Just got a steroids shot and getting an MRI on Thursday
Rick Sutcliffe said when his shoulder started hurting he went and got a MRI the doctor looked at the film and said it “looks less ke a grenade went off in there”