Tampa Bay Rays Reunite With Pitcher Joey Krehbiel on Minor League Contract

Joey Krehbiel, who previously pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, is set to rejoin the club for Spring Training in 2025 after a few seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners.

Sep 18, 2021; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joey Krehbiel (64) throws against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning at Tropicana Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have signed right-handed relief pitcher Joey Krehbiel to a minor league contract, the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin reported Wednesday.

Krehbiel, who just turned 32 years old in December, has earned an invitation to the Rays' big league Spring Training camp as part of the deal. Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 10, so Krehbiel landed his contract with roughly one month to spare.

This won't be the first time Krehbiel has pitched for the Rays, either. He previously signed a minor league deal with Tampa Bay in 2021, spending almost all of that year in Triple-A before getting called up for one game in September.

#Rays have signed RHP Joey Krehbiel to a minor-league deal with a camp invite. Seminole HS product pitched briefly for Rays in ‘21, then with #Orioles through ‘23. Spent ‘24 w/#Mariners AAA team. Represented by TB-based agent Loren Pincus.

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) January 8, 2025

Krehbiel tossed one scoreless frame for the Rays before getting designated for assignment and picked up off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles. He wound up pitching 67 games for Baltimore between 2021 and 2023, going 6-5 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.200 WHIP and 0.4 WAR.

The Orioles stashed Krehbiel in Triple-A for most of 2023, and he went 1-1 with a 3.89 ERA across 35 appearances at that level. He elected free agency at the end of the season, then inked a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners.

Krehbiel tossed 58.0 innings with Triple-A Tacoma in 2024, going 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA and 1.138 WHIP without ever earning a major league promotion.

The righty is surely hoping for a different fate in 2025, as a call-up to Tampa Bay would earn him a bigger payday and the prestige that comes along with an active MLB roster spot. Krehbiel also has one option remaining, so the Rays will have a bit of flexibility when it comes to managing the reliever's status.

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