Rays' Starting Pitcher With Great Potential Could Be in Rotation on Opening Day

Will a young pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays live up to his potential in 2026?

Apr 3, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A general view of a Tampa Bay Rays hat and glove during the seventh inning of the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. | Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays are getting set for the start of spring training, and the team is going to have a couple of key positions worth watching. 

Coming into the 2026 campaign, the Rays will be an interesting team to watch. This winter, they have focused on improving their depth quite a bit, which could be something that helps them succeed over the course of a long regular season. 

Injuries to key players in 2025 were one of the reasons why the team struggled in the second half and ultimately finished eight games under the .500 mark. The front office has been very active in trying to help fix that this winter with an eye toward the future as well. 

Even though they have been active, they do still have a couple of looming question marks on the roster heading into the year. Who will be the starting shortstop on Opening Day is one of them, and also whether they will get enough production behind the plate. Furthermore, one of the top questions will be regarding who will be in the starting rotation. 

Adam Berry of MLB recently wrote about a pitcher with something to prove on the Rays heading into 2026, being Joe Boyle.

Boyle Could Be in Rotation for Opening Day

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joe Boyle | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

As Tampa Bay continues to get closer to the start of the year, it is looking like the big right-hander is going to have a chance to be a starter for the team to begin the year. While spring training performances will ultimately dictate who is going to be in the rotation, Boyle figures to have a good shot. 

Barring injuries, the current rotation for Tampa Bay figures to be Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, Ryan Pepiot, and Steven Matz. Of those four, there is some uncertainty surrounding the health of McClanahan and whether or not Matz can transition back to being a starter. 

Even if all goes well, there is still the fifth spot in the unit that is open, and Boyle could very well be the top choice. In 2025, the right-hander totaled a 4.67 ERA in 52 innings pitched, with nine of his 13 appearances being starts. 

While the numbers didn’t jump off the page, he is still fairly young, and the Rays seemingly have some high expectations for him. Even though spring training will likely decide who is going to be the fifth starter, Boyle figures to have a good chance of landing the job. However, he will have to earn it.