Edwin Uceta #40

Edwin didn’t start playing baseball until he was nine years old…while growing up in Villa Los Almacigos in the Dominican province of Santiago Rodríguez, he worked as an attendant at a gas station and car wash to help his family afford his education…he signed with the Dodgers for $10,000 at age 18 when he was throwing between 88-89 mph…while most in his circumstances would have given up on baseball, he credits his uncle, Mario, for offering both financial and moral support while encouraging Edwin to pursue his dream of a professional career...He volunteers in several villages in the Dominican Republic during offseasons...Edwin says joining the Rays was the best move of his career because of the opportunities the club grants pitchers…he credits the Rays for helping him improve his consistency, attack hitters early and throw an effective cutter...He was selected to pitch for the Dominican Republic at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but had to withdraw due to a shoulder injury.

2025

In his fifth Major League campaign and first full season, set career highs in every counting stat, leading the Rays bullpen in appearances (70), wins (10), innings pitched (76) and strikeouts (103)…was one of three relievers to remain on the club’s active roster all season along with Garrett Cleavinger and Pete Fairbanks...His 103 SO were second most by a traditional reliever in team history behind Brad Boxberger (104) in 2014 and third most by any reliever, also trailing bulk reliever/swingman Ryan Yarbrough (106) in 2018…was one of five Major League relievers to eclipse 100 strikeouts, joining SD Jeremiah Estrada (108), HOU Bryan Abreu (105), ATH/SD Mason Miller (104) and CLE Cade Smith (104)...Paced MLB with a franchise-record 229 whiffs as a reliever, surpassing Emilio Pagán (207) in 2019…also tied the 10th-most whiffs by an AL reliever in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008)...His 10 wins as a reliever led the AL and ranked third in Rays history behind Ryan Yarbrough (14) in 2018 and Colin Poche (12) in 2023…became the fourth reliever to record 10 wins, 20 holds and 100 strikeouts since holds were introduced in 1986, joining NYY/CLE Andrew Miller in 2016, WSH Tyler Clippard in 2010 and CIN Rob Dibble in 1989...Min. 300 BF, ranked sixth among AL relievers in strikeout rate (32.4%) and whiff rate (35.6%)...His 70 appearances were the most by a Rays pitcher since Chaz Roe (71) in 2019...His 76.0 IP were third most among traditional AL relievers, trailing only SEA Eduard Bazardo (78.2) and SEA Carlos Vargas (77.0), and were the most by a Rays reliever since Jalen Beeks (92.0) in 2019…bulk reliever/swingman CWS Mike Vasil tossed 90 IP out of the White Sox bullpen… averaged a career-low 16 pitches per IP...Fanned multiple batters in 31 of 70 outings, fourth most among AL relievers and second most by a Rays reliever behind Brad Boxberger (33) in 2014…his 14 appearances with 3 SO or more tied Jalen Beeks (2014) for the most by a traditional reliever in team history...Had a 5.51 ERA (32.2IP, 20ER) in 35 appearances on one or zero days rest compared to a 2.49 ERA (43.1IP, 12ER) over 35 outings with multiple rest days…pitched on back-to-back days a team-leading 17 times. Entered with the Rays leading or tied in 52 of his 70 appearances…the club went 42-28 when he pitched…from April 19-June 18, the Rays went 21-3 in his appearances and 12-18 in all other games…of his 70 appearances, 51 were scoreless and 32 were hitless...Held opponents to .155 (17-for-110) with 53 SO and a 38.7 pct. whiff rate against his four-seam fastball…among all major league pitchers, only NYM Edwin Diaz (39.4%) had a higher whiff rate on the pitch, while only Diaz (.133) and SEA Bryan Woo (.153) had better opp. averages on their four-seamers (min. 100AB ending with four-seam fastballs). Made his first career Opening Day roster...On May 4 at NYY, turned a bases-loaded double play to preserve a 7-3 lead in the 8th inning, throwing out J.C. Escarra at home plate…paired with April 24 at AZ, it marked his second double play in five outings…became the 16th Rays reliever to turn multiple double plays in a season, first since Jalen Beeks (two) in 2019…was one of eight AL relievers to accomplish the feat in 2025...From May 29–Aug. 10, recorded a strikeout in 26 consecutive relief appearances, the fifth-longest streak in Rays history…led MLB relievers with 58 SO in that span, 10 more than the next closest pitcher (HOU Bryan Abreu - 48)...On June 13 at NYM, threw a season-high 35 pitches over 1.2 scoreless frames in a 7-5 win, his most since tossing 50 on July 31, 2024 vs. MIA...On July 2 vs. ATH, picked up his lone save of the campaign, maintaining a one-run lead in a basesloaded, one-out jam with back-to-back strikeouts of Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker...On July 8 at DET, saw his ERA rise to 5.77 after yielding a two-run homer to Colt Keith… permitted nine HR to that point, second most among AL relievers behind only TOR Chad Green (10)… pitched to a 0.38 ERA (23.2IP, 1ER) over his next 18 appearances through the end of August and a 1.70 ERA (37.0IP, 7ER) in his final 30 through season’s end, permitting 2 HR in that span...On July 22 vs. CWS, threw a pair of scoreless frames and earned the win for the second consecutive appearance, striking out the side on 11 pitches in the 5th inning en route to a seasonhigh- tying 4 SO (5x)…became the sixth Rays reliever to earn the win while logging multiple scoreless frames in back-to-back outings, first since Trevor Richards from Sept. 8-14, 2019…also joined Ryan Yarbrough (3G, 2018), Austin Pruitt (2017), J.P. Howell (2008) and Lance Carter (2002)...Pitched to a 0.64 ERA (14.0IP, 1ER) over 12 appearances in August, second lowest over any calendar month of his career to August 2024 (0.00 in 12.2 IP)…in 22 August outings since joining the Rays, he has gone 4-0 with a 0.34 ERA (26.2IP, 1ER)...From Aug. 15-16 at SF, became the first Rays reliever to earn the win in back-to-back team games since Erasmo Ramírez from May 5-6, 2024…marked his eighth and ninth wins of the campaign, tying Colin Poche (2023) for the most wins by a traditional reliever before the end of August in franchise history.

2024

Appeared in a career-high 30 games after signing a Minor League deal with the Rays on Dec. 12, 2023…selected from Triple-A Durham on May 6 and had two stints on the Major League roster: May 6-11 and June 25–end of season...Selected as an All-MLB Team nominee, the lone Ray to earn the distinction...Min. 40 IP, his 1.51 ERA (40.2IP, 7ER) was third lowest in the majors behind CLE Emmanuel Clase (0.61) and TEX Kirby Yates (1.17)…under the same parameter, it was fourth lowest in club history behind Fernando Rodney (0.60) in 2012, Joaquin Benoit (1.34) in 2010 and Shawn Armstrong (1.38) in 2023...His 0.82 WHIP ranked eighth in the majors and seventh in Rays history (min. 40.0IP)…since 2015, only Jason Adam (0.76, 2022) has produced a lower WHIP among Rays relievers...Tallied a strikeout in 27 consecutive outings from May 6–Sept. 19, the fourth-longest season-opening streak by any reliever since at least 1901, trailing only streaks by MIL Corey Knebel (45G, 2017) and CIN Aroldis Chapman (2x: 37G, 2014 & 29G, 2012)...Min. 150 BF, his 35.8 pct. strikeout rate ranked sixth among AL relievers and 10th among MLB relievers…it was the seventh-highest mark in Rays history under the same parameter...Limited righties to a .139 (11-for-79) average, sixth lowest in the majors (min. 75AB)…it marked the fifth-lowest clip in team history behind Jake McGee (.098) in 2012, Robert Stephenson (.115) in 2023, Pete Fairbanks (.120) in 2023 and Rafael Soriano (.132) in 2010...Min. 20 IP, his 1.11 ERA (24.1IP, 3ER) at Tropicana Field was the sixth-best home mark in the AL and the best by a Rays pitcher since Álex Torres (0.73) in 2013...Generated a 3.2 percent barrel rate, fifth best among AL relievers (min. 150BF) behind NYY Tim Hill (1.7%), CLE Eli Morgan (2.5%), teammate Manuel Rodríguez (2.8%) and DET Will Vest (2.9%)...Struck out 35.8 pct. of batters and walked five percent…min. 150 BF, was the only pitcher in the majors with a 35.0 pct. or higher strikeout rate and five percent or lower walk rate...Recorded a 0.93 ERA (9.2IP, 1ER) in the ninth frame…limited opponents to a .159 (7-for-44) clip in high-leverage situations, according to Baseball-Reference, the 13th-best mark in the AL (min. 40AB) and second among Rays behind Pete Fairbanks (.157)...Prior to his May 6 selection, went 1-2 with a 5.77 ERA (34.1IP, 22ER) in 22 relief outings with Triple-A Durham...Opened his Rays career with five consecutive multi-inning, scoreless relief appearances before yielding his first run on July 7 at TEX…tied the fifth-longest season-opening streak by a major league reliever since at least 1901…since 1989, only Uceta, MIL Aaron Ashby (5G, 2024), PIT Wil Crowe (5G, 2022), LAD Brock Stewart (6G, 2017) and CLE Fernando Cabrera (5G, 2007) have recorded streaks of at least five straight scoreless outings to begin a season...On July 31 vs. MIA, fanned a career-high five in two frames…struck out the side in the sixth inning...From Aug. 1 on, did not allow an earned run in 17 of his final 19 appearances and permitted no hits in 10 of them…this included a five-game stretch from Aug. 23–Sept. 8 over which he fanned 14 of 26 (53.8%) of batters faced...Strung together a career-high 11.2 scoreless inning streak from Aug. 3-23…did not allow an earned run until Sept. 10 at PHI, a 16.1-inning streak...On Aug. 20 at OAK, earned his first career save in the Rays final series at Oakland Coliseum… became the first pitcher in Rays history and 24th since saves became an official statistic in 1969 to earn his first career save in a 1-0 win…Hunter Bigge joined him on the list exactly one month later in a 1-0 win on Sept. 20 vs. TOR...Following his save on Sept. 8 at BAL, held a 0.75 ERA (36.0IP, 3ER), lowest through a pitcher’s first 24 games with the Rays in club history, surpassing Jason Adam (0.78)...Served a two-game suspension from Sept. 11-12 after hitting PHI Nick Castellanos with a pitch on Sept. 10...Entered in the eighth inning or later in each of his final eight appearances after doing so in four of his first 22…over his final seven outings, went 4-for-4 on save opportunities with a pair of holds.

2023

Made one relief appearance with the Mets, throwing 3.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts on April 22 at San Francisco…was claimed off waivers by the Cubs from the Mets on Aug. 18…was claimed off waivers by the Mets from the Pirates on April 6 and claimed by Pittsburgh from Detroit on April 2…was claimed off waivers by Detroit from Arizona on Jan. 11…in six starts for Estrellas Orientales in the Dominican Winter League, went 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA (24.2IP, 7ER).

2022

Spent most of the 2022 season with Triple A Reno, appearing in 28 games, including five starts... Gave up just one run in four outings with Reno in April, throwing 10.0 innings and giving up four hits with 13 strikeouts... Recorded the longest big league outing of his career on June 10 at Philadelphia, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings with two hits allowed and two strikeouts... Started two games with Estrellas de Oriente in the Dominican Winter League and threw 6.0 scoreless innings, giving up five hits and striking out five.

2020

Spent part of the season at the alternate site...added to the 40-man roster on November 20.

2019

Played across two levels within the Dodgers’ system...Went a perfect 4-0 with Advanced-A Rancho, boasting a 2.15 ERA (12 ER, 50.1 IP) across 10 games, all starting, while striking out 65 batters and walking only 16…ended with a 7-2 record while playing for Double-A Tulsa, finishing with a 3.21 ERA (26 ER, 73.0 IP), adding up 76 strikeouts Performed outstanding in July, going 3-0 while holding a 1.47 ERA (5 ER/30.2 IP), allowing no home runs throughout the entire month while striking out 32 batters and walking 15 … threw 7.0 scoreless innings on June 20, allowing just three hits while striking out seven and allowing no free passes...while on Tulsa, ranked top five in wins (1st, 7), strikeouts (5th, 76) and innings pitched (5th, 73.0 IP).

2018

Spent the majority of his season with Class-A Great Lake Loons, appearing in 20 games, finishing with a 5-6 record, and a 3.25 ERA (36 ER/99.2 IP)…added 103 strikeouts and 27 walks to his stat sheet…appeared in five games with Advanced-A Rancho, finishing without a record, a 6.97 ERA (16 ER/20.2 IP), 28 strikeouts and 12 walks...Despite not spending the entire season with the Loons, Uceta led the team with 103 strikeouts, 36 more than second place … was tied for first in wins (5) and led the team in games started (20) and innings pitched (99.2)...Spun seven scoreless innings on July 16, allowing just three hits and zero walks while striking out nine.

2017

Played the entire season in rookie level ball with the Ogden Raptors … appeared in 14 games, finishing with a 6.59 ERA (41 ER/56.0 IP), tallying 62 strikeouts while walking 14 batters...Made a fantastic outing, throwing 6.0-scoreless innings of no-hit ball, striking out five and walking none along the way, earning him Player of the Week award...Boasted a strong August performance, spinning 24.0 innings over five games, allowing nine earned runs (3.38 ERA) while tallying 26 strikeouts, walking just six.