The Tampa Bay Rays made a few moves ahead of the MLB trade deadline this past summer. However, there was one that stood out because the team looked like sellers, but this move would certainly fall under the buying category.
In search of some help for the backend of their bullpen, the Rays made a deal with the Minnesota Twins. A one-for-one swap was completed, with Griffin Jax heading to Tampa Bay in exchange for starting pitcher Taj Bradley.
In the early going, this looks like a deal that the Rays have won. Despite Jax not yet regaining the dominant form he showed previously with the Twins, he performed at a much higher level than Bradley did.
Through six starts, the right-handed starter had a 6.61 ERA through 31.1 innings. Jax had a good 3.60 ERA through 20 innings of work with 27 strikeouts.
He produced a 0.3 bWAR after having a 0.2 bWAR through his first 50 appearances in 2025 with Minnesota. His ERA with the Twins was 4.50, as his numbers worsened from his lights-out 2024 campaign.
What led to Griffin Jax’s up and down 2025 season?