Reunion With Veteran Starting Pitcher Makes a Ton of Sense for Rays This Offseason
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Under new ownership, people are intrigued by how the Tampa Bay Rays are going to go about their business this offseason. Will they continue operating with a payroll near the bottom of the league, or start putting more money toward the Major League roster?
It could take a few years for spending to truly increase, but the Rays are in a position where they should be comfortable adding some pieces this winter. They aren’t very far off from being a playoff team in the American League.
Despite winning only 77 games, there is an intriguing young core emerging on this roster. President of baseball operations Erik Neander has mentioned catcher and shortstop as positions of need, along with figuring things out in the outfield.
Another under-the-radar need is starting pitching. Tampa Bay was incredibly fortunate when it came to injury luck in 2025. Shane Baz, Drew Rasmussen and Ryan Pepiot all made 31 starts.
Had Taj Bradley and Zack Littell not been traded, the team would have had the same starting rotation from start to finish. The only other players to start a game were Adrian Houser, Joe Boyle, Ian Seymour and Griffin Jax in an opener’s role.
The rotation could be even more formidable in 2026. Two-time All-Star Shane McClanahan is on track to pitch in spring training after missing the last 2+ seasons because of injury.
Zack Littell reunion makes sense for Rays
Alas, it is anyone’s guess what kind of workload he can provide the team. The Rays know as well as anyone that a team can never have too much pitching, which is why they should pursue a reunion with Littell.
Traded to the Cincinnati Reds ahead of the MLB trade deadline this past summer, he is now a free agent. One of the top 50 players available on the market this season, he would be perfect as a backend option for the Tampa Bay rotation.
Selected off waivers from the Boston Red Sox on May 12, 2023, he was incredibly productive during his tenure with the Rays. Across 77 appearances, 65 of which were starts, and 376.2 innings, he had a respectable 3.68 ERA.
Littell isn’t going to strike out a ton of batters with a career K/9 of 7.4, but he is always in the zone. His walk rate of 5.4% is elite, but it puts a massive emphasis on the defense behind him playing well.
He is also reliable. Availability is the best ability, and he has succeeded in that area. In 2025, he made 32 starts, and in 2024, he made 29. Being capable of throwing 186.2 innings is something teams will value even in today’s day and age, with an emphasis on the bullpen.
Starting pitching may not be atop Tampa Bay’s wish list this offseason, but Littell is someone they should keep tabs on. They know him well, and it won’t be overly costly to bring him in monetarily.
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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.