The Rays have moved on from Cedric Mullins, declining the mutual option in his deal and sending the center fielder into free agency.
The same is true for right-hander Nick Martinez, who also had his mutual option declined by Tampa Bay. Martinez had already turned down his side of the option, and now both players are on the market.
Mutual options rarely come to life for both sides these days. In practice, they’re usually built in as a way to push money down the road. In Mullins’ case, the Rays signed him to a one-year contract last offseason that guaranteed $7.5 million: a $7 million salary plus a $500,000 buyout on a $10 million mutual option.
Tampa Bay saw it as a low-risk bet on a player who had shown more in Baltimore than he did in 2025. Mullins came into the year after a down season with the Orioles, then produced a mixed follow-up with the Rays. The power was decent - 17 homers in 2025 - and he also posted a 10% walk rate, but his overall line sat at .216/.299/.391 with a 94 wRC+.
The underlying numbers suggested some room for bounce-back, at least offensively. His .253 batting average on balls in play was below average, which left the door open for positive regression.
Instead, 2026 trended the wrong way at the plate even as his glove held up. Mullins’ BABIP fell further to .227, his walk rate dipped to 8.6%, and his homer total dropped to 15. He finished the season at .205/.284/.344 with a 76 wRC+.
Defensively, though, he still did his job. Mullins was credited with six Defensive Runs Saved, 11 Outs Above Average and a 10 Fielding Run Value grade. That matters, especially with the free agent market for center fielders described as pretty weak, which should still make him one of the better names out there.
With Mullins gone, Tampa Bay’s center field picture shifts to Jonny DeLuca as the primary option. Jacob Melton, acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, is also in the mix and could challenge DeLuca for playing time if he’s healthy. Melton was limited by injuries in 2026 and appeared in only 50 games.
In Other News...
Rays Still Carry One Huge Question After Another World Series Miss
The Rays latest run to the Fall Classic ended the same way so many others have, leaving the franchise still chasing the first championship in its history. Milwaukees win over Tampa Bay only sharpened the conversation around which long-suffering teams across the major American sports leagues can finally break through next, and the Rays remain right there near the top of that list because of how often they have put themselves in position to contend.
Tampa Bay has now been around the edge of a title long enough that every postseason trip seems to carry the same question: is this the year the breakthrough finally comes? Even as the article casts the Rays as the most likely MLB club to be next in line for a first title, their latest World Series miss serves as another reminder of how thin the margin is between being a perennial contender and still waiting for that first champagne celebration. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Offseason Shakeup Starts With A Pitching Decision Fans Will Notice
Michael Martinezs time with the Rays is moving toward free agency after he declined the end of a $20 million mutual option and will instead collect a $4 million buyout. It is the first clear offseason turn for a Tampa Bay club that always seems to have a few moving parts, and it comes as the front office weighs several other contract calls that could shape the roster before spring training.
Taylor Walls and Cedric Mullins are among the other names still sitting on the decision list, but the more interesting domino may be in the rotation. There is growing expectation the Rays will exercise Drew Rasmussens $20 million club option, a move that would keep an established arm in place while also leaving open the possibility of him being shopped afterward. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Rotation Just Took Another Hit After Nick Martinez Decision
Nick Martinezs time with the Rays is now over after he declined his mutual option for the 2027 season, a move that sends him back to free agency and leaves Tampa Bay with another rotation question to answer. The veteran right-hander had been one of the more reliable pieces in the staff, giving the Rays stability during a season that demanded plenty of it, and his exit adds to the sense that the pitching staff is again in flux.
Martinez was solid throughout 2026 and carried that form into the postseason, which only sharpened the sting for a club that has leaned on run prevention and depth to stay competitive. Hell leave with a significant guaranteed payday already in hand, but for Tampa Bay the more immediate concern is simpler: another proven arm is gone, and the Rays now have to sort through how to replace him. [Read more 🡒]