Two Rays Pitchers Added to Team USA Roster for World Baseball Classic
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The Tampa Bay Rays are a team that is on the rise. They may have won only 77 games during the 2025 season, but the roster boasts a lot of talent that is only going to improve in the coming years.
That is why it should come as no surprise that they are going to be pretty well represented throughout the World Baseball Classic. Their star third baseman, Junior Caminero, has been revealed as part of the roster for the Dominican Republic, sharing duties at the hot corner with Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians.
In addition to their All-Star slugger, the Rays are going to have multiple players on Team USA’s roster as well. As shared by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times on X, relief pitchers Garrett Cleavinger and Griffin Jax are both going to be in the bullpen.
Team USA is off to a great start, building up its pitching staff. The Tampa Bay duo is joining Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins, Clay Holmes and Nolan McLean of the New York Mets and Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres on the staff thus far.
Rays Garrett Cleavinger, Griffin Jax earned spots on Team USA
Cleavinger was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the third round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he made his Major League debut in 2020.
Plus Cleavinger and Jax from #Rays https://t.co/Zi5zhdo0SC
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) December 18, 2025
Just a few months later, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He remained with the club for less than two years, being sent to the Rays in exchange for German Tapia.
It was a shrewd move by Tampa Bay, with their development staff turning Cleavinger into a very reliable reliever. Through 163 appearances and 152 innings, he has a 2.96 ERA with 192 strikeouts. 2025 was his best year to date, producing a 1.9 bWAR.
Jax was acquired by the Rays ahead of the MLB trade deadline in 2025 from the Minnesota Twins. There had been some discussions about Tampa Bay stretching Jax out and turning him into a starting pitcher, but his best role for the team is in the bullpen.
He had a solid debut with the franchise across 23 appearances and 20 innings. A 3.60 ERA was produced along with 27 strikeouts. His overall ERA in 2025 was 4.23, but there was a lot of bad luck involved, with a 2.51 FIP being recorded.
Jax will likely factor into the late-game mix for the Rays with Pete Fairbanks on the free agent market heading for a new franchise this winter.
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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.