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Inside The Rays

Rays Veteran Pitcher Elects Minor League Free Agency

A Tampa Bay Rays pitcher is one of five players to hit free agency early during the MLB playoffs.
Kenneth Teape|
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. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
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. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

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Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are still alive in the MLB postseason, carrying a 2-0 lead in their ALDS matchup against the New York Yankees.

They have been able to stake this lead behind stellar outings from Drew Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta on the mound, and great execution defensively; the same cannot be said for the Yankees, who committed the same number of errors, four, as they had hits in Game 2.

One win away from advancing to the ALCS, all of the focus for the Rays is on the field, and rightfully so. However, there are people within the organization who are already keeping an eye on the upcoming offseason because free agency has already begun.

As shared by Charlie Wright of MLB Trade Rumors, via the Minor League Baseball transactions page, five players have already elected minor league free agency. One of them is Tampa Bay pitcher Aaron Brooks.

Rays pitcher Aaron Brooks selects free agency

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Aaron Brooks (53) walks off the field.
Jun 1, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Aaron Brooks (53) walks off the field against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

A ninth-round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, Brooks began the 2026 campaign in the Mexican League before the Rays decided to give him a look. His first impression was not a strong one.

Called upon to pitch in the 10th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 13, Brooks was protecting a 3-1 lead. It quickly disappeared, as he issued two walks to load the bases with the ghost runner already being out there. Then, Daulton Varsho took him deep for a walk-off grand slam.

It was the only Major League outing that Brooks made in 2026, as he accepted an outright assignment to the minor leagues and spent the rest of the campaign with Triple-A Durham. His performance wasn’t much better, with seven appearances, four starts, and a 7.23 ERA in 18.2 innings of work.

Brooks suffered an injury in June that ended up being season-ending. It will be interesting to see what kind of market he has at 36 years old coming off an underwhelming 2026 campaign that started in Mexico and ended in Durham.

The May 13 outing with the Rays was the first time he was on a Big League mound since 2024, when he was with the Athletics. He has 58 games and 207 innings of Major League experience under his belt, and is well-traveled, playing in the KBO and Dominican Winter League along with his Mexico stints.

The four other players to elect free agency along with Brooks are Bailey Falter of the Atlanta Braves, Seth Martinez of the Boston Red Sox, Aramis Garcia of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Owen Miller of the Chicago Cubs.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

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.

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