Rays Receiving Incredible Production From Converted Reliever

Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) reacts in the dugout against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Rays Receiving Incredible Production From Converted Reliever

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated May 15, 2026 7:00 PM ET

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The Tampa Bay Rays have been playing at an incredibly high level this season, with their pitching staff one of the main reasons for their success.

What makes their performances on the mound all the more impressive is overcoming the injuries they are dealing with. Ryan Pepiot, the team’s No. 2 starter in 2025, isn’t going to take the mound this year because of a hip injury.

His replacement, Joe Boyle, landed on the injured list after only three starts. Steven Matz, who was signed as a free agent, is also on the injured list.

With their starting pitching depth being tested, manager Kevin Cash made a bold decision with relief pitcher Griffin Jax. Acquired from the Minnesota Twins ahead of the trade deadline in 2025, he was expected to factor into the mix to replace Pete Fairbanks as the team’s closer.

Griffin Jax has excelled as a starting pitcher for Rays

Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Alas, Jax struggled mightily at the start of the season. However, he did find success when pitching on extra rest, similar to how a starting pitcher would be deployed every fifth day. So, Cash decided to convert him to a starter, and pitching coach Kyle Snyder has been working diligently with him to adjust his pitch mix now that he is in the rotation.

The results have been magnificent. He possessed the tools to be a dominant relief pitcher, but had the repertoire to also succeed as a starter, and he has been making it work while building up his arm strength to work deeper into games.

The latest outing for Jax was his best yet. The Rays may have lost the game 5-3 in 10 innings, but it was not because of their starting pitcher, who worked in and out of trouble to throw five shutout innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It was encouraging to see him tested yet always find a way to get the job done. He allowed four hits and four walks, but none of the base runners came around to score. With only one strikeout, he navigated the lineup well, inducing six ground balls and two fly outs.

Seeing double (plays) pic.twitter.com/13ZdyTMZWj
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 14, 2026

It was the longest outing for Jax since Oct. 2, 2021, when he threw five innings against the Kansas City Royals during his rookie year. After that, he was converted to a relief pitcher, where he found plenty of success as well.

Converting from relief pitcher to starting pitcher in the middle of a regular season is an incredibly difficult thing to do. But Jax is excelling in the role change, performing at a much higher level than he was out of the bullpen.

In four starts, he has thrown 14 innings and has a 1.29 ERA. He is still walking too many people, with seven free passes issued, but he has done a much better job of navigating the self-inflicted wounds as a starter than he did as a relief pitcher this year.

Opponents have a slash line of .213/.315/.213 against Jax as a starter, which is much improved upon the .294/.405/.588 slash line opponents produced against him as a relief pitcher in 2026.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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