Rays Designate Former Brewers Right-Hander Jake Woodford for Assignment

OriginalGlobal Sportscast deskSep 26, 2026 · 00:39 UTC

The short version

Tampa Bay Rays designated RHP Jake Woodford for assignment on Friday.
Reliever Manuel Rodriguez was reinstated from the IL to take the roster spot.
Woodford threw 23.1 of his 27.2 innings in 2026 with Milwaukee, posting a 7.81 ERA overall.
Woodford, 29, has a career 11-17 record and 5.36 ERA over seven MLB seasons.
He will likely be outrighted unless claimed off waivers by another club.

Tampa Bay cut pitcher Jake Woodford on Friday, ending a 2026 stint that included more than 23 innings of relief work for Milwaukee.

The Tampa Bay Rays designated right-handed pitcher Jake Woodford for assignment on Friday, according to multiple reports, with the move also appearing on MLB.com's transactions tracker. The decision came as part of a series of roster adjustments by Tampa Bay.

The corresponding transaction that pushed Woodford off the 28-man roster was the reinstatement of reliever Manuel Rodriguez from the injured list. Rodriguez's return forced the Rays to open a spot, and Woodford was the roster casualty.

Woodford, 29, has pitched for three different teams during the 2026 season. His longest stop was with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he logged 23.1 of his 27.2 total innings on the year. With Milwaukee, he allowed 18 earned runs and recorded 20 strikeouts.

The Brewers largely deployed Woodford as a long reliever in a mop-up capacity, using him to absorb innings rather than handle high-leverage situations. His overall numbers in 2026 have been rough: across 27.2 innings with three clubs, he has posted a 7.81 ERA.

It is the continuation of a downward trend for the seven-year veteran. Woodford has recorded an ERA of 6.00 or higher in every MLB season in which he has pitched since 2023. Over his full career, he owns an 11-17 record with a 5.36 ERA and 193 strikeouts in more than 283 innings of work.

Designation for assignment places Woodford in a transitional period in which his immediate future will be resolved. The likeliest outcome, as reported, is that he passes through waivers unclaimed and is outrighted, though another club could still claim him and add him to its roster.

The news comes as Woodford's most recent former team closes out a historic regular season. The Brewers, who have already secured a first-round bye and home-field advantage, finish the year with a series against the St. Louis Cardinals. By the account of the original report, it has been the best season in franchise history for Milwaukee, and the final weekend offers a chance to rest key players before the playoffs begin.

For viewers tracking the weekend slate, the Cardinals visit the Brewers on Saturday, September 26 at 7:10 PM EDT at American Family Field, with coverage on MLB.TV, Brewers.TV and Cardinals.TV. The Rays, meanwhile, play at the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday at 7:15 PM EDT at Citizens Bank Park, airing on MLB.TV and FOX.