Rays' Young Pitcher Must Step Up With Loss of Shane Baz

All eyes will be on Tampa Bay's hard-throwing righty this season.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 4:39pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Tampa Bay Rays have made several key offseason trades, including parting ways with starting pitcher Shane Baz. With concerns around the health of other Rays starters like Shane McClanahan and Steven Matz, the pressure is on young pitcher Joe Boyle to step up and perform well in the starting rotation this upcoming season.

Why it matters

Losing a key starting pitcher is a significant challenge for the Rays, who have struggled with injuries to their pitching staff in recent years. Boyle's performance will be crucial in filling the void left by Baz's departure and keeping the Rays' rotation competitive.

The details

The Rays have been active in the trade market this offseason, parting ways with several key players including Brandon Lowe, Josh Lowe, and Shane Baz. Baz was a vital piece of the team's starting rotation, and his departure puts pressure on young pitcher Joe Boyle to step up. Boyle has limited experience as a starter, with a career-high of 10 games started in a season, but the Rays are hoping he can rise to the occasion and perform well, especially with concerns around the health of other starters like Shane McClanahan and Steven Matz.

  • The Rays traded Shane Baz in December 2025.

The players

Shane Baz

A former starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays who was traded away this offseason.

Joe Boyle

A young pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays who is expected to take on a larger role in the starting rotation this season following the departure of Shane Baz.

Shane McClanahan

A starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays who is returning from a two-year absence due to injury.

Steven Matz

A free agent addition to the Tampa Bay Rays' starting rotation who spent the 2025 season pitching in relief after several injury-plagued seasons.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The Rays' trade of Shane Baz in December opened the door for Boyle to earn a spot on Tampa Bay's starting staff. Given the questions surrounding Shane McClanahan, who is returning from a two-year absence, and free-agent addition Steven Matz, who spent 2025 pitching in relief after several injury-plagued seasons, Boyle's performance looms large for Tampa Bay.”

— Thomas Harrigan, MLB.com writer (MLB.com)

The takeaway

The Rays' offseason moves have left them with questions in their starting rotation, putting pressure on young pitcher Joe Boyle to step up and perform well this season. Boyle's success will be crucial in helping the Rays maintain a competitive pitching staff despite the loss of Shane Baz and the injury concerns surrounding other starters.