Tampa Bay Rays

Cole Sulser

RP

Sulser started a minor-league rehab assignment, the final step before rejoining Tampa Bay's bullpen. The right-hander is recovering from lower-back spasms and should make his return before the end of August, barring any setbacks.

Griffin Jax

SP

The right-hander threw live batting practice with no issues and is now on the cusp of returning to game action. Jax landed on the injured list Aug. 9 due to the elbow issue and received an injection a couple days later. He was only briefly shut down from throwing and may only need one outing in the minors before being cleared to rejoin Tampa Bay's rotation.

Manuel Rodriguez

RP

Rodriguez pitched back-to-back days for Triple-A Durham on Friday and Saturday, which is likely the final hurdle that he had left to climb before joining the Rays, per MLB.com. The right-hander is just about fully recovered from right elbow surgery he underwent in August of last year, and Rodriguez could be activated from the injured list as early as this week.

Edwin Uceta

RP

Uceta continues to progress slowly from a right shoulder impingement and subsequent subscapularis strain. The right-hander's timeline for a return to the Rays remains murky at best, and he appears to be unlikely to be an option for Tampa Bay's bullpen until sometime in September with several hurdles still left to climb.

Jake Fraley

RF

Fraley landed on the injured list in May due to a hernia that required surgery, though setbacks have extended his time on the shelf. It's unclear how far away he is from rejoining the active roster, but he's likely to spend a good amount of time in the minors after missing nearly three months.

Gavin Lux

LF

Lux's most recent setback saw him get shut down in mid-July after receiving an injection in his right shoulder. His initial rehab assignment in April was halted by a sprained left ankle, and the infielder was later pulled off another minor-league stint with left shoulder inflammation. The Rays haven't officially ruled out Lux for the remainder of the year, but his status for the rest of 2026 is in major doubt.

Ben Williamson

2B

Williamson tweaked his hamstring during Wednesday's game against the Rockies, and the injury is severe enough for him to require a stint on the injured list. A minimum stint on the IL would have Williamson on track to return mid-August, but hamstring strains typically take a longer time to recover from. Carson Williams was recalled from Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move to bolster the Rays' infield depth in Williamson's absence.

Jonathan Heasley

RP

Heasley was outrighted to Triple-A Durham on Saturday, but because he suffered his injury during his time with the Rays, he'll be placed on the Rays' 15-day injured list and also reclaim a spot on the 40-man roster. The 29-year-old righty gave up five earned runs in four innings during his lone outing with Tampa and will likely be outrighted to Triple-A again once he's healthy.

Ryan Pepiot

SP

The right-hander landed on the injured list with hip inflammation late in spring training and was transferred to the 60-day injured list in mid-April after suffering a setback. Pepiot received an injection after the setback, but his hip felt "unstable" when playing catch a few days later, and he'll now end up missing the entirety of the 2026 campaign.