Jax receives injection for elbow discomfort, expects minimum stay on IL
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WEST SACRAMENTO -- The Rays can breathe a sigh of relief about starter Griffin Jax.
Before Tuesday’s game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash delivered what he called a “very good update” regarding Jax, who was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sunday (retroactive to Thursday) with right elbow discomfort.
After consulting with Dr. Keith Meister on Monday in Dallas, Jax received an injection to “calm the back of his elbow down” and does not appear to be in for a long stint on the injured list.
“I feel like he’s in a really good spot,” Cash said. “He’s going to take the ball out of his hand for two more days and then get back to throwing.”
Jax said he “woke up not feeling great” on Saturday, leading the Rays to scratch him from his scheduled start against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. A day later, he was placed on the IL for the first time in his six-year career.
Cash said initial testing indicated Jax’s injury was “non-ligament-related,” which Tuesday’s positive update appears to confirm. It’s good news for a Rays team that put left-hander Shane McClanahan on the IL on July 31 with a back issue, although McClanahan made a successful rehab start on Tuesday and should be back in the rotation soon.
Jax, whom the Rays acquired from the Twins for right-hander Taj Bradley at the 2025 Trade Deadline, was on a solid streak heading into his planned start. In his last three games, he allowed six runs (three earned) and struck out 23 over 16 2/3 innings.
The righty made a strong transition to the rotation from the bullpen for Tampa Bay, making his first start of the season on April 26 against his former club and slowly building up. He pitched into the sixth inning for the first time on June 30 in Kansas City and did so twice more in his final two outings of July.
Jax has thrown 91 2/3 innings in 2026, his most since combining for 122 2/3 between the Major and Minor Leagues as a rookie for Minnesota in 2021, when he was used as a starter. After that season, he did not start another game until the Rays deployed him as an opener twice after 2025’s midseason deal.