The Arizona Diamondbacks won’t be reuniting with veteran pitcher Jake Woodford anytime in the immediate future.
On Friday, according to MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams, Woodford signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, joining a new club on a minor league deal with an invite to big league spring training.
Woodford was not exactly high on the list of re-sign candidates among D-backs free agents, but the door for a reunion with the veteran hybrid right-hander is closed, for the time being.
Former Diamondback Jake Woodford Signs with Rays
Sep 10, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jake Woodford (41) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Woodford served his purpose with the D-backs, but his overall results were a bit difficult to look at. Woodford joined Arizona’s pitching staff in early July of 2025 as the injuries continued to pile on the D-backs rotation and bullpen.
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Woodford made 22 appearances for Arizona in 2025, and posted a 6.44 ERA in the process. That number is inflated by a few exceptionally poor outings, but Woodford’s role was generally to eat innings.
He occasionally served as a matchup-based closer, closing back-to-back games successfully against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but also picked up a multi-inning save in a game against the Cincinnati Reds on August 23.
Woodford will likely be remembered more for his poor outings, but with the D-backs’ bullpen in such a poor state, he did provide value and a solid workload of 36.1 total innings despite only pitching from July-September for Arizona.
Woodford’s tenure on the big league club came to an end on September 21, when he was designated for assignment. He was then sent outright to Triple-A Reno two days later, and elected free agency on October 1.
While Woodford was not exactly a prime reunion candidate, it would appear he’s found his new home elsewhere, at least for the time being. A reunion with the D-backs is no longer on the table, barring his release from the Rays’ organization.
Arizona will have to look to free agency or the trade market in order to add depth to their pitching staff this offseason.
The hope is GM Mike Hazen will be able to find higher-end starters and relievers to bolster the rotation and bullpen without dipping into the journeyman market, but there’s no guarantee Hazen and the D-backs can finagle the deals they need in order to field a more complete pitching staff in 2026.
Woodford’s deal with the Rays won’t carry a great deal of impact to Arizona, most likely. But it does tie up the loose end of one of their under-the-radar contributors from the 2025 season.
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