Ranking the most elite pitches among the Tampa Bay Rays' starters

Sep 21, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Taj Bradley (45) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Taj Bradley (45) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

After scanning the results of particular pitches from Rays starting pitchers over the last couple seasons, there were a few clear outliers. Some of these impressive arsenal pieces will be based on the outcomes that they have produced, while others will be on this list purely for the incredible potential that they possess. Without further ado, below are the top five pitches on the Rays starting rotation according to RaysColoredGlasses.

1. Shane McClanahan's changeup

According to our research, the best pitch among Rays starters is Shane McClanahan's changeup. Although the hard-throwing lefty didn't play last year due to Tommy John surgery, his changeup has been an essential part of his repertoire. Everybody knows that a changeup is only as effective as the fastball that precedes it and McClanahan's fastball is top-notch, as it sits around 97 mph. Therefore, this 27-year old's off-speed pitch that drops about 11 mph has been devastating for the past few seasons. In 2023, opposing hitters produced a dismal .153 AVG against his changeup. You can expect more of the same as McClanahan returns to the bump in 2025.

2. Drew Rasmussen's sweeper

Although Drew Rasmussen has also dealt with an injury over the last few seasons, there is no doubting his impressive arsenal of pitches. The former Brewer's 97 mph fastball just missed our list, but his deadly sweeper is placed at No. 2 for very good reason. Despite his limited time on the bump in 2024, opposing teams hit .083 against this remarkable pitch. Similar to the commonly used slider,his sweeper moves more horizontally across the plate making it more deceiving for hitters.

3. Ryan Pepiot's fastball

Ryan Pepiot’s four-seam fastball isn’t going to blow many hitters away as it sits at 94-95 mph which is pretty average for today’s game. However, the 6'3 right-hander has found a way to make the most of this pitch despite its lack of firepower. In 2024, opponents hit just .181 against Pepiot’s fastball, as the 27 year old utilized it as well as anyone in baseball. Great location and pitch mix allowed him to excel despite the mediocre velocity.

4. Taj Bradley's splitter

Bradley had moments of greatness in his second season as a major league pitcher. The great results were in large part because of his devastating splitter. The Georgia native's split-finger sits at 91 mph which is surprising considering its amazing vertical drop. Opposing hitters hit .213 against this pitch and had a 33% whiff rate. If Bradley can focus on his fastball command, then the splitter will soon become even more effective.

5. Joe Boyle's fastball

The newly acquired Joe Boyle only appears on this list because of the electric potential of his fastball that has reached triple digits on occasion. Sitting close to 98 mph, the former Oakland A's heater is certainly a site to see. However, Boyle struggles with his command, so the Rays coaching staff will have a huge task trying to aid in the right-handed pitcher's location issues. If Kyle Snyder and company can fix the 25-year old's command, then his potential is through the roof with the elite velocity.

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