Last season, Dana Eveland struggled with the Tampa Bay Rays. Expected to be a key part of the Rays bullpen, Eveland was a disaster. He had a 9.00 ERA and a 2.217 WHiP in his 23 innings, issuing 19 walks while striking out 21 batters. Although he was excellent in Durham, he just could not get that success at the Major League level.
However, even after those struggles, the Rays gave him another chance. He signed a minor league contract on October 31, with an invitation to Spring Training. Eveland performed well in his trial this Spring, allowing just one run on six hits and a walk in 4.