Griffin

Jax

Jax will fill a key role in the Rays’ bullpen in 2026 after having a bit of a down year in Minnesota in 2025 before coming to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. On the season, Jax had a 4.23 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 99/21 K/BB ratio in 66 innings split between the two teams.

Matz fortifies Tampa Bay’s relief depth after compiling a strong 3.05 ERA (3.46 FIP) and 59/11 K/BB ratio across 76 2/3 innings over 53 appearances between the Cardinals and Red Sox this past season. The 34-year-old southpaw has excelled since transitioning to a full-time relief role but his fantasy appeal is virtually non-existent since he’s mostly toiling away in middle relief. The Rays are expected to roll with a closer-by-committee strategy next season with Edwin Uceta, Griffin Jax and Garrett Cleavinger sharing the role.

Back when Jax was acquired from the Twins at the trade deadline, there was a fair amount of speculation that the Rays would try him as a starter in 2026. Still, as much fun as that might be, he certainly has more fantasy upside as a closer candidate with Pete Fairbanks gone. If he, like Fairbanks before him, can force Kevin Cash to mostly abandon his committee tendencies, he has a real chance to be a top-10 RP in 2026.

The Rays have already been monitoring Pepiot’s workload, so any sort of real injury at this point is sure to end his season. As this is just supposed to be fatigue for now, perhaps he’ll pitch next week. Griffin Jax will start Wednesday as part of a bullpen game.

Look for the 30-year-old right-hander to work the first inning or so before turning the ball over to Seymour for a bulk role out of the bullpen. The only thing that it changes from a fantasy perspective is that it actually increases Seymour’s likelihood of earning a victory in the contest, as he’ll no longer have to go five innings to qualify.

Griffin Jax then took the loss after allowing the automatic runner to score in the 10th. It’s Fairbanks’ fifth blown save of the year, but it won’t hurt his stock in Tampa Bay with Jax still laboring. Fairbanks has a 2.92 ERA, and he hasn’t walked a batter in 13 1/3 innings during the second half.

The Rays wanted to make a splash and add another quality high-leverage arm to their bullpen at the trade deadline so they took advantage of the Twins’ fire sale and plucked Jax away. The 30-year-old right-hander has been inconsistent this season, posting a 4.50 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and a 72/13 K/BB ratio over 46 innings. He’s expected to slot into a setup role in front of closer Pete Fairbanks.

That’s a pretty stunning destination, given the Rays’ usual treatment of relievers. If Pete Fairbanks is staying, Jax would presumably set up for him. With Louie Varland also exiting, Cole Sands is probably the favorite for saves in Minnesota.

This was weird, as the was the removal of Willi Castro a few minutes earlier. Brought in with the Twins down 8-1, Jax gave up a double and two singles. The Twins then replaced him with a position player in Kody Clemens, who immediately gave up back-to-back homers. It ended up taking Jax’s ERA from 3.91 to 4.50. It’s become pretty clear today that the Twins are trading Jhoan Duran. Jax could go, too, or he could stay as Minnesota’s primary closer. Most likely, he’d be a setup man if traded.

Jhoan Duran was unavailable after throwing two innings Tuesday, but that seemed like it would be more of an issue in the eighth than in the ninth, given the fantastic work Jax has been doing. However, after Jax recorded the first two outs of the ninth in a one-run game, Mookie Betts beat out a little infield single. Because Teoscar Hernández had been removed for a pinch-runner, the Twins made the easy call to walk Shohei Ohtani, even as the go-ahead run, and face Esteury Ruiz. Jax, though, walked Ruiz on just five pitches and then gave up a walkoff single to Freddie Freeman on a liner that was nearly caught by a diving Harrison Bader in left.