"Woodford, 29, was a first-round pick by the Cardinals in the 2015 draft but didn't make his MLB debut until the abbreviated 2020 season. He struggled to a 5.57 ERA as a long relief arm in his rookie year, but enjoyed better results come 2021 and '22 with a respectable 3.26 ERA and 3.93 FIP in 116 total innings of work across those two campaigns. With that being said, his peripheral numbers weren't quite so impressive."
"He struck out just 15.4% of his opponents while walking 7.5%. He did manage to make up for the lack of strikeouts by serving up grounders at a steady 45.8% clip, but the magic disappeared in 2023 as he was crushed to the tune of a 6.23 ERA before being non-tendered by the Cardinals that offseason. Since departing St. Louis, Woodford has become a journeyman and hopped from team to team without sticking in any one organization for very long."
"In 2024 he split his time at the big league level between the White Sox and Pirates organizations but was torched to a 7.97 ERA in 35 innings of work despite a more manageable 4.94 FIP. After being DFA'd by Pittsburgh, he joined the Rockies last offseason but failed to break camp with the club and found himself on the market once again come Opening Day."
Jake Woodford signed a minor-league contract with the Rays and received an invitation to MLB spring training. He was a 2015 first-round pick by the Cardinals and debuted in 2020. He posted strong ERA figures in 2021-22 but showed low strikeout rates (15.4%) and elevated walk rates (7.5%). A 6.23 ERA in 2023 led to a non-tender, and he spent subsequent seasons moving between organizations without sticking. In 2025 he made 22 appearances for Arizona with a 6.44 ERA before electing free agency. The Rays will now work on his pitching development.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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