Former Orioles pitcher Tyler Wells could become a major factor in the ALDS for the Rays

It was a bittersweet moment when the Baltimore Orioles dealt pitcher Tyler Wells to the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline. It was tough to let go of a reliever who has been so valuable for the team over the years. However, it was nice to see him have a chance to play in the postseason after the Orioles all but surrendered in August. 

That almost became a moot point when forearm tightness threatened to end Wells’ season prematurely. But following his latest injury update, Wells could be given the green light to play in the Division Series against the New York Yankees. If he is added to the Rays’ roster, he could become one of the team’s most dangerous weapons out of the bullpen. 

As reported by Christian Rauh of Roundtable Sports, Wells appears to have thrown a “really good” bullpen session on September 29. It was his first real attempt at testing the forearm since heading to the IL two weeks earlier. With a history of elbow injuries, it was feared that the RHP would be shut down for the remainder of the year. When any pitcher feels the dreaded tightness in the forearm, things can quickly spiral. Luckily for Wells, it seems as if he avoided serious injury.  

Wells' return for the Rays would do wonders for their bullpen, which has not been the most reliable in 2026. Despite boasting a very strong rotation, the Rays bullpen has been strangely pedestrian this season. With a 4.12 ERA, the club's bullpen is about middle of the pack in the league. So since Wells joined the Rays in August, he has already asserted himself as one of the team's top arms.    

With a matchup against the Yankees looming, having Wells back in the pen could be exactly what the Rays need to gain the upper hand. 

Tyler Wells always had a knack to neutralize lefties when he was with the Orioles 

Throughout his career with the Orioles, Wells had been more dominant against left-handed batters. With a lethal cutter-changeup combo and a fairly even split using them, Wells is a tough pitcher to square up. He’s never been the hardest thrower, but he’s always been effective at getting the swing and miss, especially against LHB. 

In 675 career plate appearances against Wells, LHB own a measly .196/.244/.342 slash line, hitting just 22 home runs across his six-year career. Even after the Orioles converted Wells back into a starter in 2022, he offered up an uncomfortable at-bats for any lefty. With an Orioles team on the rise, Wells figured to be a staple in the club’s rotation for years. 

But after suffering an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament for the second time in his career, Wells faced an uphill climb to recapture his dominance on the mound. Although he opted to avoid Tommy John surgery and pick an internal brace augmentation instead, he missed most of the 2024 and 2025 seasons. 

Despite the adversity, Wells bounced back in a big way this season for Baltimore. With 0.9 fWAR through 43 games, he became one of the Orioles’ strongest pitchers and one of the best available relievers on the market. He has continued that performance in his short time with the Rays, allowing just 13 batters to reach base in 18 innings.

With a Yankees’ lineup filled with strong LHB, Wells can enter a game and neutralize power hitters like Ben Rice and Luis García Jr. That can provide Cash with a big advantage in the matchup game throughout the ALDS. Since the Yankees are riding high after a dominant performance against the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, any advantage the Rays can find can be the difference between winning and losing. 

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