Kevin Cash Shares Brutal Injury Update on Rays Key Reliever

A key relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays has suffered a new injury.

Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) looks on during batting practice against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Coming into the 2026 MLB regular season, the Tampa Bay Rays’ bullpen was viewed as arguably the strongest positional group on the roster.

Alas, things haven’t gone according to plan thus far. There have been some struggles in the early going, namely from Griffin Jax, but injuries have also played a massive role in the team constantly having to juggle roles around in the bullpen.

One of the players whom the Rays are missing the most is Edwin Uceta. And disappointingly, he isn’t going to be coming back any time soon to help stabilize the backend of the relief staff.

Uceta had been dealing with and rehabbing from a shoulder ailment that kept him out of the Baseball World Classic. And now, he is dealing with a completely new injury to his right throwing shoulder.

Edwin Uceta will have extended stay on sidelines

Sep 17, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Edwin Uceta (63) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

According to manager Kevin Cash, via Adam Berry of MLB.com, Uceta is now dealing with a right subscapularis strain that was sustained during his rehab from the shoulder impingement that arose early in spring training.

He was on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham when soreness in the back of his throwing shoulder was reported. As a result of the new injury, he will not be throwing at all for the next two to three weeks.

When taking into account how long the ramp-up period will be, so that his arm is back to a level that he can perform at in the Major Leagues, there is a chance Uceta isn’t back on the mound for Tampa Bay until June.

Originally, the shoulder ailment that he was dealing with wasn’t thought to be very serious, and his status for Opening Day wasn’t in doubt. Alas, that has ended up not being the case, and he is going to end up missing 2+ months of the season.

Rays bullpen depth being tested early on

Apr 12, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Mason Englert (59) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the ninth inning at Tropicana Field. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Uceta is one of five relief pitchers the Rays were planning to have out of the bullpen who is currently sidelined. Manuel Rodriguez and Steven Wilson are on the 60-day injured list, while Garrett Cleavinger, Mason Englert and Uceta are on the 15-day.

That is a lot of production for Cash to be without when he is turning to his bullpen during games.

There is a chance that Uceta will be transferred to the 60-day injured list so that Tampa Bay can open up a roster spot and bring in another pitcher. The team would have the opportunity to retroactively make the date he was on the injured list Opening Day, despite it being a new injury.