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Jax picked up a hold Friday against the Yankees. striking out one in a clean sixth inning.
The hold was the first of the year for Jax, who appears to have fallen down the pecking order in the Tampa Bay bullpen. The right-hander had opened the season as the favorite for saves for the Rays, but he's coughed up eight runs (five earned) and blown each of his two save chances through his first five innings. Bryan Baker has successfully converted each of the club's past two save opportunities, and Jax could drop even further down the hierarchy once Edwin Uceta (shoulder) is ready to make his season debut.
Simpson went 1-for-5 with two RBI during the Rays' 5-3 win over the Yankees on Friday.
Although he wasn't credited with the error, Simpson's fielding gaff in the first inning resulted in an RBI triple for Amed Rosario to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Simpson made up for his mistake with RBI in the second and sixth inning on a fielder's choice and a single, respectively. He has recorded a hit in 12 of the first 13 games of the regular season and is slashing .373/.407/.412 with five steals (in seven attempts), one triple and three RBI over 54 plate appearances.
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Rays' Bryan Baker: Collects second save of 2026
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Baker earned the save in Friday's 5-3 win over the Yankees, allowing two hits while striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning. He did not issue a walk.
Baker got the call to the mound for the ninth inning to protect the Rays' two-run lead. He gave up back-to-back singles to open the frame before the two runners advanced to second and third on a fielder's choice, but Baker was able to escape with the save unscathed after striking out Randal Grichuk and getting Trent Grisham to pop out. Baker has collected two saves and a win over his last three outings and has allowed one run on three hits while striking out seven across five innings to open the season.
Diaz went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer during Friday's 5-3 win over the Yankees.
Diaz tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the first inning after smacking a two-run homer to right-center field off Luis Gil. It was Diaz's third home run of the season and second since April 1, and he has five multi-hit games early on in 2026. He has gone 19-for-51 (.373) with nine runs scored, 12 RBI and one steal through 13 regular-season games.
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Rays' Steven Matz: Picks up third win of 2026
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Matz (3-0) earned the win against the Yankees on Friday, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out seven across five innings.
Matz yielded two runs in the first inning, but he kept the Yankees off the board the rest of the way despite allowing two baserunners in both the fourth and fifth frames. He induced only one groundout but also generated 16 whiffs on 88 pitches (57 strikes). He has struck out 15 batters over his last two outings (11 innings) and has posted a 2.45 ERA and 0.73 WHIP in that span. Matz is slated to start next week on the road against the White Sox.
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Rays' Ryan Pepiot: Throws live batting practice
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Pepiot (hip) threw a live batting practice session Friday, John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
It's the first time Pepiot has faced hitters since he landed on the 15-day injured list just before Opening Day with right hip inflammation. Pepiot is expected to require at least one rehab start before rejoining the Rays' rotation, so it would be a push for him to make it back next week. That said, a season debut before the end of April for the right-hander is doable.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Lined up to start Sunday
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Rasmussen (paternity) is tentatively slated to rejoin the Rays' rotation Sunday versus the Yankees, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Rasmussen remains on the paternity leave list, but the hope is that he will be ready to go for Sunday's series finale. If that happens, Shane McClanahan would be pushed back to Tuesday against the White Sox following the team's off day Monday. Rasmussen has permitted two runs with a 10:1 K:BB over his first 10 innings this season.
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Rays' Jake Fraley: Not in Friday's lineup
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Fraley is absent from the lineup for Friday's contest against the Yankees.
Right-hander Luis Gil will be getting the ball for the Yankees, but the left-handed-hitting Fraley will nonetheless begin the game on the bench. Righty Jonny DeLuca will patrol right field and hit sixth for the Rays.
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Rays' Chandler Simpson: Ascends to leadoff spot
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Simpson will start in left field and bat leadoff in Friday's game versus the Yankees.
Simpson spent some time in the leadoff spot for the Rays last season, but this is the first time this year that he's sitting atop the batting order. The speedster earned a move up by slashing .391/.429/.435 with five stolen bases over his first 49 plate appearances this season. Yandy Diaz -- who had hit leadoff in the Rays' first 12 games -- is in the cleanup spot.
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Rays' Joe Rock: Joins big-league bullpen
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The Rays recalled Rock from Triple-A Durham on Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Rock was off to an erratic start at Durham, yielding five runs with a 4:5 K:BB and two hit-by-pitches in 2.1 frames. He pitched well during his brief time with the Rays last season, however, permitting two runs with an 11:2 K:BB over 7.2 innings. The left-hander will give manager Kevin Cash a fresh bullpen option.
Rays' Drew Rasmussen: May be cleared to start Saturday
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Rasmussen (personal) is on track to be activated from the paternity list no later than Saturday and could start the Rays' game that day against the Yankees, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Tampa Bay placed Rasmussen on the paternity list Wednesday, and he looks set to spend the maximum three days away from the team before rejoining the club Saturday. Steven Matz will draw the start in Friday's series opener, but Rasmussen could slot back into the rotation later in the weekend.
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Rays' Jesse Scholtens: Optioned to Durham
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The Rays optioned Scholtens to Triple-A Durham on Thursday, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
The 32-year-old righty was recalled from Triple-A on Wednesday to give Tampa Bay an extra bullpen arm while Drew Rasmussen was away on paternity leave. Scholtens delivered a strong performance with the Rays, firing 4.2 shutout innings against the Cubs on Wednesday, but his stint in the majors will last just 24 hours, suggesting that Rasmussen will rejoin the team to start against the Yankees on Friday.
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Rays' Chandler Simpson: Records fifth steal
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Simpson went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to the Cubs.
Simpson has hit safely in 11 of 12 games so far this season, and he's been in the starting lineup for every game after being on the bench Opening Day. He's bounced around the lineup but has seemingly settled into the No. 5 hole over the last three games, though he could hit lower in the lineup if he gets consistent time against southpaws. So far, he's earned the starting job in left field, batting .391 with five stolen bases, one triple, one RBI and five runs scored over 49 plate appearances. He hasn't hit a home run in his career, so he's purely a speed option in fantasy. Simpson stole 44 bases on 56 attempts as a rookie in 2025.
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Rays' Edwin Uceta: Set for longer buildup during rehab
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Uceta's (shoulder) minor-league rehab assignment is expected to transfer to Triple-A Durham next week, per MLB.com.
The Rays are planning for Uceta to make more than just a couple of rehab appearances in order to simulate spring training. The right-hander, who's working his way back from a right shoulder impingement that cropped up in February, had his first outing with Double-A Montgomery on Tuesday and is set for two more appearances there before moving up to the Triple-A level. The hope initially was that Uceta would have a chance to join Tampa Bay in mid-April and battle for save opportunities, but now it sounds like his season debut is likelier to come later in the month.
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Rays' Jonny DeLuca: Notches first steal
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DeLuca went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to the Cubs.
DeLuca notched his first steal of the season on his second attempt. He's been in a short-side platoon role to begin the campaign, going 6-for-21 (.286) with one home run, four RBI, five runs scored and a double over nine contests. DeLuca provides depth around the outfield for the Rays, though he could push Cedric Mullins, who is batting .122 through 11 games, for playing time in center field.
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Rays' Joe Boyle: Handed loss Wednesday
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Boyle (0-1) took the loss versus the Cubs on Wednesday, allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out three over 4.1 innings.
Boyle was in trouble right from the start as Nico Hoerner led off the game with a home run. More trouble arose in the fifth inning, though Boyle was let down by his defense as the Cubs cobbled together a five-run rally before Jesse Scholtens came on for a long-relief assignment. This was the worst of Boyle's three outings so far this season, and he's now at a 5.17 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 16:6 K:BB through 15.2 innings. He's walked three batters in back-to-back starts, so he'll need to display better control to get the rest of his numbers to improve. Boyle is not certain to get another turn through the rotation, as team off days Thursday and Monday could allow the Rays to get by with a four-man rotation until Ryan Pepiot (hip) is ready to make his season debut.
Fortes is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Cubs.
Fortes started at catcher in the first two games of the series, so he'll get some rest in Wednesday's finale. Hunter Feduccia will be behind the dish and bat seventh for Tampa Bay.
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