Rays acquire reliever Jax in deal for Bradley, pick up Houser from White Sox

Despite a dramatic slump over the past month that’s taken them out of the American League East race and out to the periphery of the AL Wild Card race, Rays officials insisted they did not want to produce a repeat of last year’s Trade Deadline.

There would be no sell-off this season, they insisted, and no procession of key veterans sent out for a haul of Minor League prospects. They had to be cognizant of their dwindling playoff odds and mindful of the future, but they were not ready to give up on the present, either.

“Obviously we had to make some difficult decisions, but I would like to think today’s moves down at the end are an action that supports that,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander said. “The big impact moves, obviously, [were] players that we could keep going with beyond this year but still give this group a chance.”

They acted accordingly on Thursday, making two notable pitching additions prior to the Trade Deadline -- controllable reliever Griffin Jax and rental starter Adrian Houser -- while holding on to a trio of core players who’d been in the rumor mill: closer Pete Fairbanks, designated hitter/first baseman Yandy Díaz and second baseman Brandon Lowe.

TRADE DETAILS
Rays receive: RHP Griffin Jax
Twins receive: RHP Taj Bradley
Rays receive: RHP Adrian Houser
White Sox receive: INF Curtis Mead, RHP Ben Peoples, RHP Duncan Davitt

“We appreciate our players. Erik really appreciates our players. There are tough decisions to be made at every Deadline, no matter what situation,” manager Kevin Cash told reporters at Yankee Stadium. “But I feel like this team's good, and we know the guys that can help us win, and we want to get them going the right way so we can have a strong two months.”

They dealt super-utility man José Caballero across the field to the Yankees during Thursday’s 7-4 defeat, and their biggest loss came during the game, when All-Star Jonathan Aranda exited with a left wrist injury.

TRADE DETAILS
Rays receive: OF Everson Pereira, player to be named later or cash considerations
Yankees receive: INF/OF José Caballero

But between their arrival in New York on Sunday night and their flight home to Tampa on Thursday night, the Rays completed a roster shuffle that they hope will give them a chance to climb out of the hole they’ve dug recently while also improving their chances to be even better in 2026 and beyond.

“We tried to walk a fine line, kind of acknowledging that reality when it came to potential free agents at the end of the year while not wanting to give up or reverse course on the season to the degree that we did last year,” Neander said.

Jax is under team control through the 2027 season and catcher Nick Fortes (acquired from the Marlins in Monday’s dueling catcher trades) through '28. Pereira and catcher Hunter Fedducia (acquired from the Dodgers on Thursday morning) are MLB-ready prospects. Right-hander Brian Van Belle (acquired from the Reds in Wednesday’s deal for Zack Littell) is a controllable big league depth option.

But Houser, who will step into Littell’s spot in the rotation, will be a free agent at the end of the season. That reflects the front office’s belief that the current club can get back into the postseason picture despite a 7-18 record in July that dropped them to 54-56, 10 games behind the division-leading Blue Jays and four games out of the final AL Wild Card spot.

Neander put it plainly: “We don’t think this season’s over.”

“With two months to go, this group as it’s put together right now has the potential to play much, much better baseball,” he added. “Want to give them a shot to make the postseason.”

The biggest addition is Jax, one of the best controllable relievers available at this year’s Deadline and someone who should immediately bolster Tampa Bay’s struggling bullpen. He throws a sinker and four-seamer, both at 96-97 miles per hour, a hard sweeper that is his primary go-to, a changeup, a cutter and an occasional curveball.

Jax has endured a very strange season, with the quality of his pitches seemingly as good as ever but absolutely putrid luck. It’s that batted-ball luck, as well as some strange defensive lapses, that explain most of the difference between his ERA last year (2.03) and this year (4.50). He remains one of the hardest pitchers to hit in either league, and that’s why the Twins were in no hurry to part with him if not for a return like Bradley.

“About as overpowering a reliever as you’re going to find. Somebody that misses bats as much as anybody across baseball,” Neander said. “Grif’s ERA this year I don’t think is a reasonable representation of his talent, the makeup, the character.

“It’s been a really difficult month for some guys [in the bullpen] that are really talented and we believe will be better. To add someone of Grif’s level and impact can take a little of the edge off. Sometimes that’s all you need for things to settle back in.”

Since joining the White Sox rotation on May 20, Houser has been one of the best starters in baseball with a 2.10 ERA. The right-hander is not a big swing-and-miss sort of pitcher, with 47 strikeouts over 68 2/3 innings, but the Rays were willing to part with legitimate talent -- the former top prospect Mead, legitimate relief prospect Peoples and Minor League starter Davitt -- to fortify their rotation after dealing away Littell.

“As well as he’s thrown the ball, put him in that slot and just give us a little bit better opportunity this year to stay competitive,” Neander said.