Veteran Starting Pitcher Could Fill Need in Rotation for Rays in Free Agency

Which veteran starting pitcher could fill a need for the Tampa Bay Rays in free agency?

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

With the offseason underway for the Tampa Bay Rays, they will be seeking to make a couple of improvements to their roster to help put them in a position to win in 2026. 

Coming into the winter, there are a few key needs for the team. Unfortunately, this was a franchise that had a very poor second half of the year and finished eight games under the .500 mark. Depth in a very challenging American League East was a part of that. As injuries hit and some players missed time, the Rays didn’t have enough firepower to compete. 

This offseason, the goal is going to be to improve their depth in some areas and make a couple of potential upgrades to their lineup as well. The batting order has been highly talked about, with some possible interest in helping the outfield, shortstop, and catcher. However, there is a need in the starting rotation as well. 

The Athletic contributors (subscription required) recently wrote about a reunion with free agent pitcher Adrian Houser making sense for the Rays, who are seeking a veteran for the back end of the rotation. 

Houser Could Fill Need for Tampa Bay 

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The Rays acquired the veteran right-hander from the Chicago White Sox during the season, and while his results were really strong with the White Sox, he didn’t perform as well in Tampa Bay. With Chicago, Houser totaled a 6-2 record and 2.10 ERA. Thanks to improved velocity on his splitter, the right-hander was off to a fantastic start. 

Unfortunately, that great start wasn’t sustained with the Rays. In 10 starts with the Rays, he totaled a 2-3 record and 4.79 ERA. While it was a little bit of a tale of two seasons for him, the overall numbers were substantial. 

For a Tampa Bay team that is going to be looking for an affordable veteran pitcher to eat innings, Houser could be a strong choice. He was able to total 125 innings pitched in 21 starts and likely wouldn’t break the bank for the team either. 

Due to some needs in their lineup, getting an affordable option to fill out the rotation that could give them five innings of work would be ideal. Houser certainly fits that need, and despite not performing the best after coming over from Chicago, he might make the most sense for the Rays. 

There will be a number of veteran options to pursue for Tampa Bay, but Houser likely won’t cost them much more than $10 million for the year. That number certainly sounds good for a pitcher that flashed some upside in 2025.