RADIO
Shane McClanahan Making Rehab Start on Tuesday
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (back) is scheduled to take the ball for Triple-A Durham on Tuesday. It's good to see the southpaw getting back on the mound. McClanahan has been sidelined since the end of July due to back tightness. The expectation is that McClanahan will require one or two more rehab starts to build up his stamina before returning to the Rays rotation. Barring any setbacks, fantasy managers should expect McClanahan to return before the end of August. He should take over Griffin Jax's (elbow) spot in the rotation, with him recently landing on the shelf.
Source: Durham Bulls
Source: Durham Bulls
Jacob Melton On 7-Day Injured List At Triple-A Durham
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Jacob Melton currently has a right hamstring strain and is on the 7-day IL at Triple-A Durham. The injury comes at an unfortunate time for Melton as he is looking for a shot at a big league chance with the Rays, but it isn't expected to be long term. Melton made his big league debut last season for the Astros before coming over to the Rays in a December trade. The 25-year-old has played at two levels this season in the minors (mostly with Durham) and has hit .306 with six homers and 26 RBI in 134 at bats. The No. 6 prospect for Tampa Bay, Melton could see time in Tampa Bay this season assuming he recovers smoothly from his right hamstring strain. Given he already has big league experience, he is a name to monitor as someone who can produce for the Rays at the end of this season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Brody Hopkins Has The Stuff For Big League Debut This Season
Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Brody Hopkins has struggled a bit lately for Triple-A Durham and is coming off a start in which he allowed five earned runs and walked five batters in one inning. All in all, Hopkins has a 4-8 record this season with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP with 106 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched. Hopkins is the No. 5 prospect in the Rays' system and has a 60-grade fastball and curveball with a 55-grade slider and cutter. The 24-year-old is looking to debut this season for the Rays and certainly has the stuff to be a solid MLB starter. Those fantasy managers looking to take a chance could go for Hopkins on the waiver wire in advance of his call-up, looking to get ahead of the pack. Based on his most recent results, an MLB debut is not guaranteed this year, but at 24 years old, he is the right age for a chance at a debut.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Shane McClanahan to Throw Another Sim Game Soon
Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan (back) threw two "ups" in a simulated game last Thursday, Aug. 6, and is scheduled for another sim game of three "ups" in the coming days, according to president of baseball operations Erik Neander. McClanahan has been on the 15-day injured list since July 31 with mid-back tightness. Barring a setback, he could return to Tampa's starting rotation in mid-August, per MLB.com. If McClanahan looks good in his next sim game this week, the Rays may allow him to return to the big-league roster without going on a minor-league rehab assignment, although that would make him much more of a risk in fantasy in his first start back with the team. The 29-year-old southpaw and former first-rounder from the University of South Florida missed all of the 2024 and 2025 seasons due to multiple Tommy John procedures. In his return this year, he has gone 9-6 with a solid 3.09 ERA (3.35 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 91 strikeouts and 35 walks in 99 innings across 20 starts. McClanahan's strikeout rate is at a career-low 22.2%, but all things considered, it has been an encouraging return in his fourth MLB campaign.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ty Johnson Has Path To MLB Innings
Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Ty Johnson is working out of the bullpen at Triple-A Durham since July 25, but there is a path to major-league innings with Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Griffin Jax now injured. Johnson, himself, was dealing with a lower back strain to begin this season, but it's looking like a high-leverage or multi-inning role could be available for him at the MLB level. Johnson has three one-inning appearances out of the bullpen in August for Durham and has not allowed an earned run. He has five strikeouts in those three innings proving that he could be a high upside reliever with the ability to strike out more than a batter an inning. Johnson hasn't started a game since July 4. He's 4-1 at Durham in 14 games (10 starts) with a 3.08 ERA and 1.04 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings. It's looking like he can be added as a potential bullpen arm with high strikeout upside.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Griffin Jax Lands on 15-Day Injured List
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax (elbow) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Sunday, according to Ryan Bass. Jax was scratched from his scheduled start against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. A day later, Jax heads to the shelf due to right elbow discomfort. He'll be eligible to return on August 21, but his exact timetable to return is unclear at the moment. In a corresponding move, right-hander Michael Grove was recalled from Triple-A Durham. It's uncertain at the moment who is going to replace Jax in the starting rotation. Fantasy managers should check back for a better timetable on Jax in the coming days.
Source: Ryan Bass
Source: Ryan Bass
Griffin Jax Scratched from Saturday's Start With Elbow Discomfort
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax (elbow) was scratched ahead of his scheduled start against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. Jax was pulled ahead of this outing due to right elbow discomfort, so the Rays will be forced to go with a bullpen game. Casey Legumina will be used as an opener with Jax unavailable. The hope is that this is a minor injury that won't force Jax onto the Injured List. This season, Jax owns a 3.63 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and a 100/30 K/BB ratio across 91.2 innings of work this season. Jax has been a stud lately and is picking up steam in fantasy leagues. Fantasy managers should check back for another update on his status.
Source: Ryan Bass
Source: Ryan Bass
Jacob Melton Currently Injured but Could Still Debut With Rays
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Jacob Melton (hamstring) was placed on the seven-day injured list with a right-hamstring strain and is expected to miss about a week at Triple-A Durham. Melton has had a nice season with Durham, batting .285 in 123 at-bats at Triple-A with five homers and 23 RBI to go with 24 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. The 25-year-old has shown off his five-category ability this season with Durham and is currently the No. 6 prospect in Tampa's system. He has 60-grade power and 60-grade speed, which shows off his ability to hit at a high level while also establishing himself as a stolen base threat. Melton debuted with the Houston Astros at the major league level in 2025 before being traded to Tampa Bay in December of 2025. Melton has MLB experience and could play for the Rays before the end of this year. He is worth stashing as he returns from his injury.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Brody Hopkins has Pitch Mix Necessary For Big-League Success
Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Brody Hopkins has had a solid season at Triple-A Durham and could be looking at a late season promotion. Hopkins, a right-hander, is 4-8 this season with a 4.93 ERA and 1.67 WHIP to go with 105 strikeouts in 84 innings. The 24-year-old has made 18 starts in 21 appearances this season and he has struggled a bit with his overall record, but his strikeout rate is encouraging. He is the No. 5 prospect in the Rays' system and possesses a 60-grade fastball and 60-grade curveball with two other 55-grade secondary pitches in his cutter and slider. Hopkins seems to have major league stuff and is just awaiting a promotion to Tampa Bay. The Rays have a deep rotation especially after trading for Freddy Peralta. But with Shane McClanahan on the IL, Hopkins could provide depth at the major league level and would be worth a waiver wire addition in that case.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Freddy Peralta to Make his Rays Debut on Tuesday Against Rockies
Newly-acquired Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta will make his debut with the team on Tuesday at hitter-friendly Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies as he slides into left-hander Shane McClanahan's (back) spot in the starting rotation, manager Kevin Cash told Rays reporter Ryan Bass. It's a poor spot for Peralta to make his debut with Tampa, although the Rockies rank in the top 10 in strikeouts this year. The 30-year-old Dominican hurler was a disappointment in his first 22 starts (113 2/3 innings) of the year with the New York Mets before they traded him to the Rays on Sunday, going 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA (4.45 FIP) and 1.48 WHIP with 113 strikeouts and 48 walks. He has pitched well in his two starts against the Rockies in 2026, allowing just two earned runs with five walks and nine strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings pitched. In five starts in July, Peralta had a 6.85 ERA (5.65 FIP) with 13 walks and 25 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings, so he comes to the Rays as a pretty volatile fantasy baseball asset. The good news is that Peralta should be in better hands with the Rays' coaching staff, and he also has an xERA of over a full run lower (3.83) than his current ERA.
Source: Ryan Bass
Source: Ryan Bass
Rays Acquire Catcher Liam Hicks From the Marlins
The Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks from the Miami Marlins on Monday in exchange for third base prospect Brayden Taylor, High-A shortstop Adrian Santana, and High-A pitcher Jacob Kisting, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Hicks will give the Rays an immediate upgrade at the catching position over both Hunter Feduccia and Nick Fortes for the remainder of the year, but he can also spend time at first base and designated hitter if Tampa wants to get creative with their lineup. The 27-year-old Canadian left-handed hitter will continue to be a lineup regular with his new squad after breaking out in 2026 with the Fish to the tune of a .282/.363/.432 slash line, a .795 OPS, 14 home runs, 62 RBI, 54 runs scored, and three stolen bases in his 354 at-bats in just his second year in the big leagues. Hicks stayed hot in July, batting .280 (26-for-93), although he had only one homer and a .692 OPS in 25 games. The move to Tampa should be at least a slight boost for Hicks' run-production opportunities.
Source: New York Post - Joel Sherman
Source: New York Post - Joel Sherman
Ian Seymour an Intriguing Waiver Pickup for Monday's Matchup
It's unclear if Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Ian Seymour will make many more starts this year after the club acquired right-handed starter Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets on Sunday, but Seymour has been solid in more of a traditional starting role of late and will face the Colorado Rockies at hitter-friendly Coors Field on Monday. The 27-year-old southpaw has only appeared as a traditional starter in seven of his 36 outings for the Rays in 2026 in his second year in the league, but six of those starts have come since the beginning of June. In six outings (four starts) in July, Seymour allowed 15 runs (14 earned) with eight walks, 38 strikeouts, and three wins for the Rays. The former second-rounder in 2020 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is 7-3 in 2026 with a 4.37 ERA (4.02 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 90 strikeouts and 28 walks in 78 1/3 innings pitched. Seymour is attractive in deeper fantasy formats for his 27.9% strikeout rate. He'll be facing a Rockies team on Monday that ranks fifth in MLB in OPS, but also a team that is in the top 10 in strikeouts. Start Seymour at your own risk.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jacob Melton Dealing With Hamstring Tightness, Breakout Season Interrupted
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Jacob Melton (hamstring) is reportedly dealing with right hamstring tightness after being removed from a Triple-A Durham Bulls game on Saturday, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The No. 6 prospect in the Rays' system has already missed time this season due to left ankle discomfort and could miss additional time while recovering from the new issue. Melton is hitting .306 in the minor leagues this season, posting a .407 OBP and a .952 OPS with six home runs across 41 games at two levels. The injury is not expected to be serious for the 25-year-old, but it creates another interruption during what has been the best season of his young career in the Rays' organization.
Source: Marc Topkin
Source: Marc Topkin
Emmanuel Rodriguez Dealing With Thumb Soreness, Remains Day-To-Day
Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez was scratched from a High-A Cedar Rapids rehab game on Tuesday due to apparent thumb soreness and is now considered day-to-day, according to Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune. The 23-year-old is the No. 52 prospect in Major League Baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, as he continues working his way through the Twins' farm system. Across 29 games at multiple levels this season, Rodriguez is hitting .253 with a .902 OPS and six home runs in 95 at-bats before the injury. He owns a .911 OPS with a .254 batting average throughout his minor league career and will look to avoid any further setbacks during his recovery.
Source: Bobby Nightengale
Source: Bobby Nightengale
Aidan Smith Headlines Prospect Haul for Mets in Trade With Rays
Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect Aidan Smith, along with two other prospects, is heading to the New York Mets in exchange for right-hander Freddy Peralta. The Rays bulk up their starting rotation, but it costs them three prospects. Smith is the most notable, as he ranked as the Rays' 15th-best prospect in their system. The Mets also acquired right-hander Gary Gill Hill and second baseman Emilien Pitre in exchange for Peralta. According to MLB Pipeline, Hill and Pitre ranked as the 26th and 27th-best prospects in the Rays system. Between the three, Smith holds the most upside, but he still needs time in the minor leagues. None of these players is likely to contribute right away, but it's not a terrible return on Peralta, who is a free agent after the season.
Source: Mark Feinsand
Source: Mark Feinsand
