Early Season Struggles of Key Unit is Concerning for Rays

Should the Tampa Bay Rays be concerned about the struggles of a key unit early on?

Dec 8, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash speaks with the media during the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings at Signia by Hilton Hotel. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

With two games in the books for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team is not off to the start that they would have liked. In each game, the Rays have had leads late, but have been unable to hold them. 

To start the season, Tampa Bay was likely pleased to see the team draw the rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals to open the year. This was a team that has dealt most of their veteran talent and is very clearly rebuilding at this point. 

However, while they might be a young group, they have been a resilient one against the Rays so far, with two come-from-behind wins. For a Tampa Bay team that is hoping to be a contender this campaign, this is not an ideal start to the season, especially considering the manner in which they have lost the games. 

In both of the losses, there has been a clear reason why the team has lost, and that is, unfortunately, because of their bullpen. Following a disaster on Opening Day, the group once again blew a lead in the second game of the year. 

Bullpen Struggles Again 

United States pitcher Griffin Jax | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It took the Rays a little while on Saturday to get going, but they went from being no-hit for a good chunk of the game to tying it up 4-4 and forcing extra innings. In the top of the 10th, a Yandy Diaz single was able to score Ben Williamson and give Tampa Bay the lead. 

In the bottom half of the inning, it was Griffin Jax who came on to close it out. Unfortunately, the new closer for the Rays was unable to get the job done. After walking the leadoff hitter, a sac bunt moved two runners into scoring position. Then, top prospect JJ Wetherholt was able to get his first walk-off hit of his career. 

With the bullpen blowing leads now in each of the first two games of the season for the Rays, it’s fair to be concerned. In this game, Jax blowing the save makes the decision to let Pete Fairbanks walk a poor one early on. 

Coming into the season, the bullpen figured to be a strength of the team on paper. This was a unit that, despite losing Fairbanks, had quite a bit of talent. While Edwin Uceta is on the injured list, the two losses for the team easily could have been avoided. Fortunately, it is still very early in the campaign, but it is a concerning trend.