Rays will have one of the best setup man-closer combos in baseball this season

The Rays have been known for their dominant relievers for quite sometime now. Fans may recall when Kevin Cash coined his bullpen "The Stable" after the Yankees' failed taunting efforts in 2020. His "Stable" was chock-full of hard-throwing pitchers and there's nothing different as we head into this season.

Leading the crew are long-time Rays closer Pete Fairbanks and resurgent 27-year old Edwin Uceta. The other relievers will be able to carry their own weight, but Fairbanks and Uceta will lock down the last few frames of most close games, and boy are we fortunate of that.

First of all, the sudden rise of Dominican relief pitcher Edwin Uceta has been nothing short of spectacular. The right-handed hurler received the call to the big leagues in May of last year and displayed excellence immediately. He finished the season with a 1.51 ERA across 41.2 frames. The 6'0 pitcher also struck out 57 opposing hitters. If it wasn't for a disastrous outing against the NL East champion Phillies, it's probable that his ERA would've been below 1.00.

Edwin Uceta also looks poised to continue his success as he's started his spring with a 1.69 ERA in five outings. Rays fans should be thrilled to watch this changeup specialist in a full season.

On the other hand, Pete Fairbanks is heading into his seventh season in a Rays uniform. The Wisconsin native has put together an impressive resume in Tampa as he's produced a 3.03 ERA and 63 saves in nearly 200 innings of work.

Injuries have been a problem with this flamethrower the past few seasons and some trade rumors have followed him around during the offseason. Nonetheless, the Rays couldn't be more excited to have their closer back for another season. His electric repertoire coupled with an infectious personality have made Fairbanks a fan-favorite over the years.

The former 9th round pick has struggled so far this spring though, walking four hitters in his 1.2 innings. That tiny sample size should be of very little concern because he's proven his worth as a high-profile closer since his Rays debut in 2019.

As we approach Opening Day, the Rays are blessed to have two of the most talented late-inning pitchers in their corner. With an offense that will certainly have some off-days, these two pitchers will be paramount in the pursuit of an AL East division title.