Rays bring Jepsen back on major-league deal
Kevin Jepsen is returning to Tropicana Field, as the Tampa Bay Rays have signed the reliever to a major-league contract, Jepsen confirmed to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times Thursday.
The 31-year-old returns to the Rays a little under a year since the club traded him to the Minnesota Twins at last July's deadline for prospects Chih-Wei Hu and Alexis Tapia.
Jepsen was released by the Twins on July 11 after posting a 6.16 ERA while allowing 12.3 hits per nine innings over 33 games, losing the closer's job in the process. His rough start to 2016 followed an excellent two months in Minnesota at the end of 2015, when he posted a 1.61 ERA and saved 10 games down the stretch to stabilize the Twins' bullpen and help keep them in playoff contention through the final weekend.
Jepsen also excelled over his few months with Tampa Bay before the trade, posting a 2.81 ERA while striking out 7.3 batters per nine innings. The nine-year veteran owns a 3.83 career ERA, 352 strikeouts, and 27 saves with the Rays, Twins, and Los Angeles Angels.
Jepsen will join a struggling Rays bullpen that owns a collective 4.79 ERA this season, the second-highest mark in the American League.