Rays Relief Pitcher Reportedly Drawing Trade Interest Around MLB
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The Tampa Bay Rays were incredibly active this offseason when it came to shaking up their roster via trades.
They were part of nine different trades this offseason, as shared by Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) in his recent report cards piece. Two of those deals were of the three-team variety, but the Rays may not be done wheeling and dealing.
As shared by MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), teams around the league are inquiring about their relief pitcher, Garrett Cleavinger.
The 32-year-old lefty is set to earn $2.4 million this year on a one-year deal that was agreed upon before having to go to arbitration. He is under team control through the 2027 season, set to hit arbitration one more time.
Garrett Cleavinger drawing trade interest
Acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 1, 2022, in exchange for German Tapia, Cleavinger has taken his production to another level with Tampa Bay. He is just the latest in a long line of pitchers who have elevated their numbers under the guidance of the Rays' developmental staff.
2025 was the best season of his career, making 67 appearances and throwing 61.1 innings. He registered a 2.35 ERA, 175 ERA+ and 3.59 FIP to go along with 82 strikeouts and a bWAR of 1.9.
Overall, his numbers with Tampa Bay have been very strong. Across 163 appearances and 152 innings, he has a 2.96 ERA with 192 strikeouts and 3.4 bWAR.
With his Baseball Savant page showing several elite numbers, specifically in whiff and strikeout rate, it is easy to see why teams around the league are interested in acquiring Cleavinger from Tampa Bay. While Rosenthal didn’t list any teams specifically that could be inquiring about him, the list is likely rather long.
Four of Garrett Cleavinger's five pitches returned whiff rates above 35% in 2025
— High Leverage Baseball (@HighLevBaseball) January 25, 2026
He put together his best season in 2025:
2.35 ERA, 61.1 IP, 82 K, 0.98 WHIP, 3.59 FIP
Cleavinger's advanced arsenal allowed him to strike out over a third of the batters he faced! pic.twitter.com/3FE6IrLLOp
With left-handed relief pitching options drying up in free agency, turning to the trade market makes a lot of sense for teams. The Rays are a franchise that is never afraid to make a deal, so calling and gauging interest makes a lot of sense.
There are no signs that his performance cannot be replicated in 2026 and 2027, while he remains under team control. He has extended success with Tampa Bay and will factor into the late-game mix, but if the Rays think his value is as high as it ever will be, and their asking price is met, they won’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
Currently at spring training, Cleavinger is ramping up activity, along with Griffin Jax, as both are going to be participating in the World Baseball Classic with Team USA.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.