The Rays cut loose veteran left-handed pitchers Colin Poche and Tyler Alexander by declining to tender them contracts by Friday’s 8 p.m. deadline.
The team also non-tendered two other arbitration-eligible players, outfielder Dylan Carlson and lefty reliever Richard Lovelady, who had been designated for assignment earlier this week.
The moves will save the Rays about $9 million in salary based on mlbtraderumors.com arbitration projections. When healthy, Poche, 30, had been a key part of the Rays bullpen since 2019. He posted a 3.63 ERA over 225 games while missing the 2020 and 2021 seasons recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery. He was acquired from Arizona in a February 2018 trade and was projected to make $3.4 million in 2025. Garrett Cleavinger and 2024 rookie Mason Montgomery are expected to be the Rays’ top lefty relievers.
Alexander, 30, provided needed versatility this past season, starting nine games and throwing bulk relief innings in 14 others, posting a 6-5 record and 5.10 ERA. Claimed off waivers from Detroit in November 2023, Alexander was projected to make $2.8 million next season and is out of options, meaning he can’t be sent to the minors as he was three times in 2024.
Carlson, 26, was a July trade acquisition from St. Louis and a former top prospect. He initially looked like he would benefit from the change of scenery, batting .293 with three homers, 12 RBIs and a .920 OPS in his first 14 games with the Rays. But he hit just .178 with no homers and a .442 OPS over his final 23.
He was projected to make $2.7 million.
Lovelady, 29, was designated for assignment Tuesday. He posted a 3-5 record and 3.77 ERA with two saves over 28 games for the Rays after a May trade from the Cubs. He was projected to make $900,000.
The Rays did tender contracts to six other players eligible for arbitration: pitchers Zack Littell (projected to make $4.8 million), Drew Rasmussen ($2 million), Shane Baz ($1.9 million) and Cleavinger ($1.4 million); infielder Taylor Walls ($1.5 million) and catcher Ben Rortvedt ($1.1 million).
The deadline for salary figures to be exchanged between players and teams is Jan. 10.
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