Best Rays Relief Pitchers Of All Time
Tampa Bay Rays relievers with all time best results are Jake McGee, Alex Colome, and Fernando Rodney. They had made franchise records for saves and appearances.
Below are the top five relief pitchers of all time to ever play with the Tampa Bay Rays. The list by MLB prioritizes appearances and contributions over the seasons along with the number of saves.
| Rays All Time Best Relievers | Achievements (records) |
| Jake McGee | 297 Appearances as Highest in the Franchise |
| Alex Colome | 2016 All Star appearance and 2017 AL Saves Leader |
| Fernando Rodney | 46 Single Season Saves Record for the Franchise |
| Roberto Hernandez | 101 Saves as All Time Best Franchise Record |
| Grant Balfour | 274 Appearances as the Third Highest in Franchise |
Relievers are players that continue pitching in a game after the starting pitcher is removed. A save is when they finish a game after the starter with a win.
Their contributions are best analyzed by the number of saves they have along with strikeouts and ERA. They are divided into five categories starting from closers, setup men, middle relief pitchers, left or right-handed specialists, and long relievers.
Closers are those that are substituted at the final few innings of the game and Setup men are the ones that pitches before a closer. Likewise, Middle relievers are those who pitch around the fifth to seven innings of the game.
The handed specialists are known for their expertise in specific right or left-handed pitches to tackle the opposing hitters. They are usually switched during the pinch hitter situations when the active pitcher has the opposite arm side from the batter.
Long relievers are those pitchers that enter the game during the first three innings of the game. They usually enter when the starter is injured or removed due to a lack of performance.
Jake McGee
Jake McGee has the highest number of appearances with the Rays where he supported 297 games. McGee has made consistent contributions as a left handed pitcher.
While his save records are lower in comparison to others, his regular appearances over numerous seasons with the team has more weight.
McGee had the best ERA+ record of 198 in 2012 which was more than 98% better than the average league scores. He repeated the feat in 2014 with a 197 ERA+ score.
Alex Colome
Colome had been an All-Star player in 2016 for his performance as a closer. The reliever was also awarded with an AL Save Leader award in 2017.
Starting his career as a starter, he transitioned to become a righty reliever in the later years of his career. His first year as a closer in 2016 resulted in an ERA of 1.91 in just 57 appearances.
His record for 47 saves in 2017 was the second-highest record in the franchise. He could have broken the record in the following year had he not been traded to the Mariners.
Fernando Rodney
Rodney has the single season record of 48 saves in the long history of the Major League Club. Rodney had made his mark as a relief pitcher after joining the Rays.
His record number of saves came about in just 76 appearances in his first season with the Rays. Rodney had won Delivery Man of the Year and AL Comeback Player of The Year awards in his first year with the Rays.
The most impressive feat obtained by Rodney was finishing with an ERA record of 0.60 in 2012. It had broken Dennis Eckersley's record for the lowest ERA by a reliever in MLB history.
Roberto Hernandez
Roberto Hernandez holds the record for most saves in the Rays' history by closing 101 games. Hernandez had the best season in 1999 with 43 saves and a 3.07 ERA.
The right handed pitcher was also voted 10th on the AL Cy Young Award that year. In the following seasons, he maintained at least 26 saves making a franchise record in three years.
Grant Balfour
Balfour made the cut in this list for his consistent contributions over 274 appearances with the Rays. He had helped the team reach World Series in 2008 Season.
The right-handed pitcher Grant Balfour had the best season of his career in 2008. Balfour had made 82 strikeouts in 58 1/3 inning along with a 1.51 ERA in 54 games.
Balfour had led the team to their only World Series season in 2008, marking his name among the list of best relievers in Rays history.
