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. Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images

Rays Seen as Good Fit for Reunion With Starting Pitcher in Free Agency

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Rays are set to start up the offseason very soon after the conclusion of the World Series, and the team will be anxious to get going.

It was a bit of a frustrating campaign for the franchise in 2025. They started out performing exceptionally well and looked like they were going to be a contender. However, a bad stretch in the early part of the summer quickly turned them into sellers at the trade deadline.

The Rays were able to move numerous players in order to get prospects and assets in return, but the campaign really went downhill after that. Now, the team will be heading into the winter, potentially looking to move a couple of veterans in the final years of their contracts. However, that shouldn’t stop them from looking to be aggressive and potential sign a couple of players.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about pitcher Zack Littell being a good fit for the Rays in free agency after the team dealt him at the trade deadline to the Cincinnati Reds.

Littell Could Fill a Need

Coming into the 2026 campaign, the rotation is looking fairly solid for the Rays, but there is a need for a veteran arm that can log some innings. The AL East is going to be a gauntlet next season again and Tampa Bay needs to make sure that they have the depth to be able to compete when a pitcher inevitably misses time.

With the team in 2025, Littell was a very productive pitcher for the organization. In 22 starts, he totaled an 8-8 record and 3.58 ERA. Those are some substantial numbers, and he would make a lot of sense to pursue a reunion with.

Bowden also stated that his contract would likely be for just one-year around the $10 million mark. This would be a very fair number based on his production in the 2025 campaign and a reunion for both sides could make a lot of sense.

Littell should certainly generate some interest from other suitors this winter after a good year, but he is a player that doesn’t strike out a lot of batters, which some teams might stay away from. However, as shown in 2025, if his teammates play some good defense behind him, he can be very effective. With a need for another starter and the familiarity on both sides, a reunion makes sense.