BALTIMORE -- The Rays reinstated right-hander Manuel Rodríguez from the 60-day injured list before Sunday’s series finale against the Orioles at Camden Yards, ending the reliever’s long road back from elbow surgery and adding another proven arm to their bullpen.
Rodríguez hasn’t pitched in the Majors since June 9, 2025. He was placed on the injured list soon after due to a right forearm strain, attempted to come back with a pair of Triple-A rehab appearances last July then underwent a season-ending flexor repair procedure on Aug. 8, 2025, a little more than a year ago.
“Really happy, really excited. First and foremost, thank you to God for helping me in this process, to my family, to my girlfriend,” Rodríguez said through interpreter Kevin Vera. “It was a long process, but short at the same time. So, just really excited to be here and, again, just going to do whatever to help the team.”
If he returns to his pre-injury form, he should be able to do plenty. Rodríguez had become one of the most reliable relievers in Tampa Bay’s bullpen at the time of the injury. In 71 appearances for the Rays in 2024 and ‘25, Rodríguez put together a 2.12 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 68 innings.
Rodríguez worked his way through the rehab process and spent about a month on a Minor League rehab assignment, advancing from the Rookie-level Florida Complex League to Single-A Charleston before making eight appearances for Triple-A Durham.
Rodríguez said he started to feel like himself again when he resumed throwing bullpens during the rehab process. For the first time in a year, he was able to pitch with no discomfort in his right elbow. His rehab assignment further boosted his confidence, as he was showing the same stuff he had previously.
“Once I saw the velo was back to where it always has been, I got a lot of confidence in that, and I kind of knew I was heading in the right direction,” Rodríguez said.
“Happy to have him back. He worked really hard on his rehab. The rehab went pretty seamless,” manager Kevin Cash said Sunday morning. “Generally with guys that go on the IL, there's always some hiccups along the way, but give Manny a lot of credit and our training staff credit for getting him back. Now, [we'll] see if he can help us here for the next five, six weeks.”
In 10 total Minor League outings, Rodríguez recorded a 9.00 ERA, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and four walks while striking out 14 in eight innings. He checked every box necessary, working more than one inning on Aug. 5 then pitching back-to-back days on Aug. 14-15.
Cash said the right-hander’s fastball velocity was “in line” with where it had been before the injury. The Rays are pretty well set at the back end of their bullpen with closer Bryan Baker, setup men Kevin Kelly and Tyler Wells and lefties Cam Booser and Garrett Cleavinger, but Cash noted that this isn’t exactly a point of the season where they can ease Rodríguez back into action.
“He's going to have to come in and get big outs,” Cash said, “because we play a lot of tight ballgames.”
To make room for Rodríguez’s return, the Rays designated right-hander Chris Roycroft for assignment. In 11 outings for Tampa Bay, most of them in lower-leverage situations, Roycroft recorded his first Major League save and posted a 6.52 ERA over 19 1/3 innings.