Due to the departure of Tommy Hunter and Steven Cishek via free agency, the Rays bullpen will be filled with players trying to win roles in the midst of the club’s hopes to be competitive in 2018.
Rays relievers combined for the 8th-best ERA in baseball a year ago (3.83). Collectively the unit was worth 4.6 WAR, according to Fangraphs.com, 10th-best in the bigs.
While they are certainly going to miss the veteran arms of Hunter and Cishek, they have a surplus in-house to fill an eight-man bullpen. In case you’re wondering exactly how much “surplus” the Rays possess, it will do you well to continue reading.