Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Free Agent Starting Pitcher Feels Unlikely To Return to Rays This Offseason

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Rays are going to be busy at points this winter. There isn’t a team in baseball that has more players who are arbitration eligible than the Rays with 17. A lot of negotiating will be done to avoid hearings.

There will also be a lot of negotiations with other teams around the league. Tampa Bay has several players who are sure to generate interest on the trade market should they be made available.

Closer Pete Fairbanks has been very popular name on the trade rumor mill. Designated hitter Yandy Diaz has lived on the trade market the last few years. Second baseman Brandon Lowe and starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen could generate interest as well.

The trade market is where most of the headlines for the Rays will be generated this offseason. That is because there is only one outright free agent from the Major Leauge roster they have to make a decision on: starting pitcher Adrian Houser.

He was acquired from the Chicago White Sox ahead of the MLB trade deadline in exchange for Curtis Mead, Duncan Davitt and Ben Peoples. Tampa Bay needed starting pitching help with Taj Bradley and Zack Littell, who were included in other deals.

Adrian Houser doesn't look like fit for Rays

It was a smart acquisition by a savvy Rays front office. Houser wasn’t going to break the bank after signing a one-year, $1.35 million deal with the White Sox in free agency.

That deal proved incredibly valuable with how well he performed. In 11 starts with Chicago, he had a 2.10 ERA through 68.2 innings. He struck out 47 batters and compiled an impressive 3.0 bWAR.

Unfortunately, that production did not travel along with him to Tampa Bay. In 10 starts with the Rays, Houser wasn’t nearl as effective. He threw 56.1 innings with a 4.79 ERA and 45 strikeouts.

AMAZING VELO TRICK!

Adrian Houser did 1 Small Thing that led to his Velo jump this year. @PitchingWRX

See Houser on Friday Night Baseball tonight on Apple TV+ as he faces off against Shane Bieber!

Link to game: https://t.co/qol4vfzUcr #FridayNightBaseball #ApplePartner pic.twitter.com/7Lkzy2hWCV
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 26, 2025

While a solid backend of the rotation arm, Tampa Bay seems unlikely to bring him back. Shane Baz, Ryan Pepiot and Rasmussen are anchoring the rotation right now. Ace Shane McClanahan is expected to be back in the mix as well.

Ian Seymour and Joe Boyle are two younger arms that will receive a chance to earn a spot in spring training as well. If the front office opts to trade Diaz, Lowe or Fairbanks, they could aim to bring some starting pitching back.

With other areas of the roster viewed as more pressing needs, such as shortstop and catcher, it would make sense for the Rays to allow Houser to leave in free agency. They aren’t positioned yet to be major spenders. Working on a budget, money can be better allocated than paying him an open market price.