No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their career while playing for that club. These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only.
Here is the ranking of the top five right-handed pitchers in Rays history.
1. James Shields (2006-12)
Key fact: Franchise leader in wins (87)
Shields is the most accomplished and durable pitcher on the list. The right-hander won 87 games, started 30 or more in six consecutive seasons and received Cy Young Award votes once in his seven-year stint with the Rays.
Of all these stats, however, the most impressive might be the fact that Shields recorded 19 complete games with Tampa Bay. In a time when bullpens reign supreme over length from starting pitchers, it seems fair to assume that Shields’ franchise record will hold up for a couple more seasons.
Aside from leading the franchise in wins and complete games, Shields is also atop the leaderboard in innings pitched (1,454 2/3), strikeouts (1,250), shutouts (8) and games started (217).
2. Drew Rasmussen (2021-present)
Key fact: 2.71 ERA through 2026 is the lowest in team history
If nothing else, Rasmussen is a remarkable testament to the power of perseverance. He overcame two Tommy John surgeries to reach the Majors, came to the Rays in the 2021 Willy Adames trade as a reliever, then -- out of need -- turned into a critical stretch-run starter for Tampa Bay.
After a spectacular 2022 season, Rasmussen once again required major elbow surgery after eight starts in ’23. He returned from the internal brace repair as a reliever/opener in 2024, then moved back into the rotation in ’25 and thrived. Rasmussen went 10-5 with a 2.76 ERA in 150 innings over 31 starts, earning his first All-Star bid and finishing ninth in the AL Cy Young Award voting despite his limited innings total. He was even better in 2026, going 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA in 172 innings over 30 starts, plus a couple of dominant outings in the Rays’ run to the World Series.
On a per-inning basis, he’s arguably the most effective pitcher in franchise history, which is reflected in him standing atop the franchise leaderboards in ERA+ (149), win-loss percentage (.682), FIP (3.09), WHIP (0.99), hits (7.00) and walks (1.95) per nine innings, strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.28) and home runs allowed per nine innings (0.75), among other statistics.
3. Chris Archer (2012-18, '21)
Key fact: 3.71 ERA ranks sixth in team history
Archer wasted no time establishing himself in the Rays’ rotation, finishing his rookie season with a 3.22 ERA, good for third in American League Rookie of the Year Award voting. Archer remained consistent over the next couple of seasons, posting a 3.33 ERA or lower in his first three big league seasons. In 2015, Archer anchored the Tampa Bay rotation, finishing fifth in AL Cy Young Award voting and representing the club in the All-Star Game.
While an argument can be made that Archer never became the bona fide ace the club expected him to be, it’s undeniable that he was a very good pitcher and served as the face of the franchise during some down seasons. Archer made 182 starts with the Rays, second behind only Shields, and his 55 wins are tied for third most in franchise history.
4. Matt Garza (2008-10)
Key fact: Pitched the franchise’s only no-hitter on July 26, 2010
It was a tough call between Garza and Alex Cobb, but the fact that Garza played a pivotal part during the 2008 AL pennant-winning season earned him the third spot on this list.
Garza’s most historic moment with the Rays came when he twirled a no-hitter against the Tigers in 2010, but the right-hander gave the organization plenty of reasons to celebrate in his three seasons with the club.
5. Alex Cobb (2011-17)
Key fact: 3.50 ERA ranks fifth in franchise history
Much like Archer, Cobb gave the Rays much-needed stability in their rotation during a time when the organization wasn’t in playoff contention. In 2013, however, Cobb rose to the occasion, going 11-3 with a 2.76 ERA as the Rays reached the postseason.
From 2011-14, Cobb finished with a sub-3.00 ERA twice and won 10 or more games in all three years. Though he doesn’t lead the Rays in any pitching categories, he is in the top 10 in ERA, wins (fifth), starts (sixth), winning percentage (fourth), innings pitched (fifth) and strikeouts (seventh).