Durham Bulls starter Ian Seymour pitches against Worcester at Polar Park May 23. Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rays Need To Give Long Look to Young Starting Pitcher for Rotation Spot

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Jan 27, 2026 3:00 PM ET

Coming into the MLB offseason, one of the underrated needs for the Tampa Bay Rays was starting pitching depth.

Adrian Houser was a free agent, creating a void at the back end of the rotation. The Rays showed some interest in bringing him back, but he agreed to a two-year, $22 million deal with the San Francisco Giants.

Tampa Bay’s void in the starting rotation became even bigger when the team traded Shane Baz to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for a haul of prospects and a draft pick.

To this point, the only outside addition that has been made is Steven Matz. The veteran lefty is expected to move back into a starting pitcher’s role after being a relief pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox in 2025.

Rays need to give shot to Ian Seymour for rotation spot

The Rays are also getting All-Star Shane McClanahan back from injury. He hasn’t pitched in the Major Leagues since 2023 because of multiple ailments, but is expected to be healthy for spring training in a few weeks.

It is impossible to know for sure what kind of workload and production the talented lefty can provide them. So, bringing in another innings-eater for the rotation would make a lot of sense.

However, Tampa Bay has some in-house options it should strongly consider to fill out its rotation. One player who should be under heavy consideration is Ian Seymour.

A second-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Virginia Tech, he was viewed as a mid-tier prospect in the organization, ranking well inside the Top 20 and as high as No. 13. With a six-pitch repertoire, he offers a lot of upside with his ability to mix offerings.

Ian Seymour looked sharp in his limited 57 IP sample. He posted a 3.19 FIP & a 26.4% K% w/ his 6 pitch mix. The CH was very effective, returning a 35.1% Whiff% & while he averaged 91.6 MPH on his FF, he gets good iVB from his vRel height & it plays well at the top of the zone. pic.twitter.com/efT40eMtpd
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) January 14, 2026

The lefty made his Major League debut on June 9 last year against the Red Sox in relief. His first five appearances were all out of the bullpen and multi-inning outings. Six out of his final seven outings were starts, and overall, he performed well.

His performance was better as a starter, throwing 25.2 innings with a 3.16 ERA and 31 strikeouts with a 1.052 WHIP. As a relief pitcher, he recorded 31.1 innings with a 4.02 ERA, 33 strikeouts and a 1.277 WHIP.

Both numbers are certainly respectable, but his future should be as a starting pitcher. Giving him a shot in the rotation during spring training would make a lot more sense than converting a relief pitcher such as Griffin Jax.