Rays reliever Edwin Uceta didn't feel great when testing shoulder playing catch

Key Highlights

• The 28-year-old right-hander was eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this offseason, and won his case to get paid $1,525,000, up from $815,000 last season, rather than the Rays' $1.2 million proposal. He had planned to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the WBC but withdrew from that after he started to feel discomfort before reporting to spring training with the Rays. Uceta could take over the closer role for the Rays after Pete Fairbanks' offseason departure as a free agent to Miami. Uceta first arrived in Tampa Bay as a free agent before the 2024 season.
• He previously made big league appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2021), Arizona (2022) and New York Mets (2023). AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOpening starterAll-Star right-hander Drew Rasmussen was announced as the Rays opening-day starter at St.
• Louis on March 26. Rasmussen was 10-5 with a 2.76 in 31 starts last season, when he was an All-Star for the first time.
• He got a full season in his comeback from an internal brace procedure.
• That was his third major elbow procedure after twice before having Tommy John surgery. The season opener in St.