Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Rays' Relief Pitcher Predicted to Receive Substantial Salary Increase

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 1:00 PM ET

As the Tampa Bay Rays prepare for their offseason, the team is going to be going in a fresh direction with new ownership taking over. Due to the changes, this winter could be a bit of an interesting one for the franchise.

With new ownership coming in, they very well may to look make a splash or two in free agency, which is something that has rarely happened for the franchise. The Rays have built a successful franchise with a low payroll and a strong farm system. Trading key players perhaps a bit earlier than they need to has primarily been the recipe for success.

This summer, Tampa Bay was both a buyer and a seller in somewhat surprising fashion. It is starting to be more common for teams to trade for players under team control for multiple years during the summer, and that is precisely what they did with Griffin Jax.

The talented relief pitcher from the Minnesota Twins was sent to the Rays as part of the fire sale that the Twins had over the summer. Even though Tampa Bay was an unlikely contender, Jax is under team control in 2026 and 2027, making him part of the future for the franchise.

Jax Set For Nice Raise

The right-hander is arbitration-eligible, and recently, MLB Trade Rumors predicted that he would receive a sizable raise in his salary to $3.6 million for 2026. With both the Twins and Rays, the overall numbers weren’t great, but a significant part of that came from some struggles in Minnesota.

With the Twins, Jax totaled a 1-5 record and 4.50 ERA. Things improved significantly for him with Tampa Bay, totaling an ERA of 3.60. The right-hander was one of the best relief pitchers in baseball in 2024 with an ERA of 2.03, and the Rays will be hoping he is closer to that number in 2026.

Due to Pete Fairbanks potentially being a pitcher that the team might explore trading this winter and Jax being under team control, he could end up being the closer in 2026 if they end up moving him.

The right-hander has shown that he is capable of being one of the best relief pitchers in the game and Tampa Bay getting him with two years left under team control was a savvy move if he gets back to the level of production. Even if he doesn't, Jax should be a high-leverage arm in the bullpen.