The Tampa Bay Rays are inching toward a playoff berth, and the pitching staff may get a boost before the final stretch is over.
Entering play on Aug. 29, Tampa Bay’s magic number to clinch a spot in the American League playoff field sat at 14 after a Game 1 win over the San Diego Padres in their three-game series. There’s still plenty left to sort out, but help could be on the way from the farm system when rosters expand later in the regular season.
The names to watch are Brody Hopkins and Ty Johnson, the organization’s top two pitching prospects at Nos. 7 and 10 in the system. Both started the year as starters, but each has recently shifted into bullpen work as the Rays explore them as relief options for the big leagues.
Hopkins made his fifth straight relief appearance on Aug. 28 against the Norfolk Tides and flashed the kind of stuff that makes the transition intriguing. According to Running From The OPS, his four-seam fastball sat at 100 mph and touched 100.3, and he paired that with an 86 mph curveball. He’s also been developing a cutter, giving him another weapon to work with out of the bullpen.
Just as important, Hopkins has started to clean up the command issues that have slowed him down. He did not issue a walk for the second outing in a row, and for the third time in his last four appearances. Walks have been a major problem - he’s issued 90 in 89 innings in 2026 - but the recent trend suggests he may be settling in.
Johnson has been in relief for about a month now, and the move has gone smoothly. He also worked against Norfolk and looked sharp, mixing his four-seam fastball and slider six and seven times, respectively. The results were strong: five whiffs, velocity readings of 94.4 and 95.4 mph, three batters faced, and two strikeouts.
His first relief outing was rough, with three earned runs and just one out recorded, but he’s been far more effective since then. Over his last 10.1 innings, Johnson has given up only one earned run while striking out 17. He’s reached multiple strikeouts in all but one of those appearances.
With rosters set to expand on Sept. 1, it would not be a surprise to see Johnson get the call and make his Major League debut.
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