Rays Activate Griffin Jax To Start Against Mets, Option RHP
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The Tampa Bay Rays are getting some more help on the pitching staff with one of their starting pitchers returning to the mound.
Griffin Jax, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with elbow discomfort after being scratched from a start against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 8, is set to return to the rotation and start against the New York Mets on Sept. 2.
To make room for him on the newly expanded 28-man roster, the Rays are optioning Alex Cook to Triple-A Durham. He was one of two players added in the roster expansion on Sept. 1, along with outfielder Victor Mesa Jr., but his stay wasn’t a very long one. He will operate as organizational depth once again with the Bulls.
Getting Jax back in the mix is great news for Tampa Bay. Any time elbow discomfort is the reason for a player heading to the injured list, it is ominous. But he was able to avoid anything serious and was great in his solo rehab appearance.
Griffin Jax being activated from injured list by Rays
However, because he only made one and has had over a week off in between, his outing against the Mets likely won’t be a long one. Manager Kevin Cash wanted to see him get to about 60-65 pitches in a second rehab start, but instead, he is taking the mound in the Major Leagues.
It is likely that pitch count remains intact for his outing against the Mets, which means several bullpen arms are likely going to be needed. That is, unless he replicates the performance of Freddy Peralta, who needed 20 pitches to get out of the first inning in his start against his former team on Sept. 1 and then cruised, tossing six innings and needing only 74 total pitches.
Jax last appeared in a game for the Rays on Aug. 2. He took the mound against the Chicago White Sox in what ended up being a 9-1 Tampa Bay loss. Five innings were pitched, and he allowed three runs, one earned, on four hits. Zero walks were issued, and he struck out eight.
The Tampa Bay Rays have reinstated RHP Griffin Jax (right elbow discomfort) from the 15-day IL and optioned RHP Alex Cook to Triple-A Durham.
— Rays Communications (@RaysPR) September 2, 2026
Jax will start tonight against the New York Mets.
Coming into the 2026 season, the plan was for Jax to operate as a high-leverage relief pitcher. He struggled out of the gate, and the decision was made to start stretching him out to be part of the rotation. It has worked out wonderfully, with Jax adjusting to the role change and performing at a much higher level.
Now, with Peralta in the mix and the entire rotation healthy, it will be interesting to see how Cash handles things moving forward. Will he go with a six-man rotation to ensure his players on innings limits remain healthy? Or will one member of the rotation be shifted into a bullpen role?
An answer will be revealed in the coming days based on his bullpen decisions in-game.
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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.