Rays List Ryan Pepiot as Injured; Carson Williams Secures Shortstop Role
The Tampa Bay Rays will place right-hander Ryan Pepiot on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right hip, according to Marc Topkin. The club expects the absence to be brief. Because of possible backdating, Pepiot is likely to miss about 12 days to start the season.
Rotation adjustments
With Pepiot sidelined, the Rays will recall righty Joe Boyle from Triple-A Durham. Boyle is slated to start the second game of the season.
Nick Martinez will be pushed back a couple of turns after dealing with a minor hamstring issue. The move opens immediate innings for Boyle.
Ryan Pepiot background and numbers
Pepiot, 28, arrived in Tampa Bay in the trade that sent Tyler Glasnow to Los Angeles. He has worked as a steady mid-rotation arm over the past two seasons.
In his major league career he has thrown 297 2/3 innings with a 3.75 ERA. His strikeout rate sits at about 25.4 percent and his walk rate is roughly 8.9 percent.
He missed time in 2024 after a comebacker hit his leg and later developed an unrelated knee infection. Pepiot threw a career-high 167 2/3 innings in 31 starts last season.
Joe Boyle profile
Boyle, 26, is among the game’s tallest pitchers at 6’8″ and 250 pounds. He averaged about 98.5 mph on his fastball last year.
At the big league level last season he logged 52 innings with a 4.67 ERA, a 25.7 percent strikeout rate, and a 12.4 percent walk rate. He dominated Triple-A with a 1.88 ERA in 86 innings.
This spring Boyle posted a 3.72 ERA. He had a 34 percent strikeout rate but a 17 percent walk rate in limited work.
Shortstop situation
Taylor Walls has been placed on the injured list due to an oblique strain. With Walls sidelined for several weeks, the club will give top prospect Carson Williams the starting job.
Carson Williams will secure the shortstop role to open the season. He had been optioned earlier but will now remain with the big league club.
Carson Williams scouting and performance
Williams, a former first-round pick, is widely praised for his defense and raw power. Scouts view him as a plus defender at shortstop.
Last year he hit 28 home runs in 557 plate appearances between Triple-A and a brief major-league cup of coffee. He ranks among baseball’s top 100 prospects.
Contact remains the main concern. Williams struck out 41.5 percent of his 106 MLB plate appearances last year. He also posted a 34 percent strikeout rate in Triple-A.
Across his professional career he has 2,217 plate appearances with a 32 percent strikeout rate. He has maintained an 11.4 percent walk rate, which helps his profile.
If Williams can sustain strong walk and power rates while playing elite defense, a batting average in the low .200s could be acceptable.
Bullpen and roster notes
The Rays finalized their bullpen and optioned right-hander Hunter Bigge to Triple-A. That move gave the final big league relief spots to several arms.
- Lefty Ian Seymour
- Right-handers Mason Englert, Yoendrys Gómez, Kevin Kelly, and Cole Sulser
- Veterans Griffin Jax, Bryan Baker, and Garrett Cleavinger will provide experience
Right-hander Edwin Uceta will begin the season on the injured list with shoulder trouble.
Jake Woodford and depth moves
Right-hander Jake Woodford triggered an upward-mobility clause in his minor-league deal. It is unclear if another team will add him or if the Rays will retain him as Durham depth.
Woodford turned in a strong spring. He allowed one run, posted a 5-to-2 K/BB ratio, and induced a 45.5 percent ground-ball rate over 7 1/3 innings.
He has worked in each of the past six major-league seasons, compiling a 5.10 ERA across 256 big-league innings. He has experience as both a starter and long reliever.
These roster changes create immediate openings. Boyle gets a rotation turn. Williams receives a platform to prove he can handle a full-time shortstop role.
