3 Tampa Bay Rays who won't be back next season and where they'll go
By Mark Powell
Rays who won't be back: Tyler Stephenson
Stephenson is the best of the bunch in a lackluster Rays free-agent crop. As FanSided's Kevin Henry wrote earlier this week, he could leave Tampa in the dust for a higher price tag.
"Since his arrival in St. Petersburg, Stephenson has pitched well, logging a 2.41 ERA/2.48 FIP/0.696 WHIP in 41 games covering 37.1 frames...The 30-year-old right-hander has played for four different teams during his eight-year MLB career, and is under a $1.75 million deal for this season. The price tag is right and the performance has been there this season, so Stephenson may be under-the-radar find for some team in 2024."
Stephenson is a capable late-inning relief pitcher for any interested suitor this offseason. He's due to make far more than his sub-$2 million price tag, and it seems unlikely that Tampa Bay will pay up given their ability to churn out relief pitcher prospects thanks to an elite player development staff.
The former Reds first-round pick could serve as a setup man for Alexis Diaz next season, if Cincinnati is interested.