Tampa Bay Rays Set to Release Dana Eveland

After disappointing in his tenure with the Tampa Bay Rays last year, Dana Eveland had come back to the team on a minor league deal. He will not get another chance to perform for the Rays, as he is set to be released.

Last season, Dana Eveland struggled with the Tampa Bay Rays. Expected to be a key part of the Rays bullpen, Eveland was a disaster. He had a 9.00 ERA and a 2.217 WHiP in his 23 innings, issuing 19 walks while striking out 21 batters. Although he was excellent in Durham, he just could not get that success at the Major League level.

However, even after those struggles, the Rays gave him another chance. He signed a minor league contract on October 31, with an invitation to Spring Training. Eveland performed well in his trial this Spring, allowing just one run on six hits and a walk in 4.2 innings while striking out three. That success was not enough for him to remain with Tampa Bay, as he is reportedly set to be released.

More from Rays Colored Glasses

• Tampa Bay Rays give richest contract in franchise history to Wander Franco
• Remembering Julio Lugo’s time with the Tampa Bay Rays
• Are you the 2021 FanSided Sports Fan of the Year?
• Rays: Just how good was Randy Arozarena’s rookie season?
• Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino stands out despite low batting average

In the end, this is not much of a surprise. Eveland had struggled in each of the past two years, as he was no longer able to get anyone out. Nonetheless, being a lefty with extreme groundball tendencies is enough to warrant some attention on the market, and Eveland has been just that.

This is just another stop on the Dana Eveland Major League Tour. In his 11 seasons in the Majors, he has pitched for ten different teams, never spending more than two years in any one place. When his minor league stops are added in, Eveland has called 26 different places home, including a stint in the Korean Baseball Organization in 2013. He is the definition of a journeyman reliever.

Based on his performance this Spring, it may not be a surprise to see another stop added to that list. His results were certainly encouraging, and Eveland did have a strong performance in Durham last year, posting a 0.30 ERA and a 0.742 WHiP. That may be enough to entice another team looking for left handed help in their bullpen to give Eveland a call.

Next: Archer rejoins Rays amid controversy

Dana Eveland was a long shot to make the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen this season, but the end of his tenure coming now was a bit surprising. Now, he will look to latch on with yet another organization.