Tanner Rainey Bio
Tanner Scott Rainey (born December 25, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently in the Detroit Tigers organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, and Pittsburgh Pirates. A former second-round pick, Rainey debuted in the majors in 2018 and is best known for helping the Washington Nationals win the 2019 World Series.
Across his MLB career, Rainey has served primarily as a relief pitcher, working in middle and late innings for several organizations. He has spent time at the Triple-A level with affiliates including the Fresno Grizzlies, Indianapolis Indians, and Toledo Mud Hens as he has navigated the transition between the minors and the majors.
Early Life and Background
Tanner Rainey grew up in the Covington, Louisiana area and attended St. Paul’s School, a local high school where he played both baseball and other sports. At St. Paul’s, he developed as a two-way player, gaining experience on the mound and at the plate that would later shape his approach as a pitcher.
After high school, Rainey played college baseball at Southeastern Louisiana University before transferring to the University of West Alabama. During his college career, he worked as a pitcher and first baseman, and his performance on the mound drew the attention of MLB scouts by the end of his junior season.
Path to Baseball
Rainey’s draft trajectory began with his strong senior-season pitching at the University of West Alabama. Scouts projected him as a power-armed relief pitcher, and his fastball velocity helped push his stock into the early rounds of the 2015 MLB draft. That spring, he was one of the top college arms in the state of Alabama.
The Cincinnati Reds selected Rainey in the second round of the 2015 MLB draft, and he signed quickly with the organization. He began his professional career in the rookie-level Pioneer League, where the Reds focused on developing him as a full-time pitcher rather than a two-way player.
Tanner Rainey Career
Early Career (2015-2017)
Rainey made his professional debut in 2015 with the Billings Mustangs, where he posted a 2-2 record and a 4.27 ERA in 15 starts across the short-season league. The Reds used that year to help him adjust to a professional workload and to refine his delivery as a starting pitcher.
In 2016, Rainey moved up to the Dayton Dragons, where he went 5-10 with a 5.57 ERA in 29 games that included 20 starts. The following season, the Reds shifted him to a full-time relief role. Pitching for the Daytona Tortugas and Pensacola Blue Wahoos, he compiled a combined 3-3 record and a 3.19 ERA in 53 relief appearances, striking out 104 batters in 62 innings.
Cincinnati Reds (2018)
Rainey was invited to Reds spring training in 2018, and on April 10, his contract was purchased by Cincinnati. That same day, he made his MLB debut against the Philadelphia Phillies, pitching one inning of relief and surrendering a grand slam to Scott Kingery.
The 2018 season proved to be a difficult introduction to the majors. Across eight appearances and seven innings, Rainey allowed 13 hits, 12 walks, and 19 earned runs, finishing the year with a 24.23 ERA. On December 12, 2018, the Reds traded him to the Washington Nationals in exchange for pitcher Tanner Roark, opening the next chapter of his career.
Washington Nationals (2019-2024)
Rainey was called up to the Nationals from the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies on May 18, 2019, and quickly became a trusted reliever for manager Dave Martinez. On June 1, he earned his first career MLB win in relief, beating Roark and the Reds at Great American Ball Park. In 2019, he went 2-3 with a 3.91 ERA in 52 relief appearances, striking out 74 batters in 48 1/3 innings.
That same year, the Nationals finished 93-69, clinched a wild-card spot, and went on to defeat the Houston Astros in the World Series, earning Rainey a championship ring. He contributed 6 2/3 innings out of the bullpen during the 2019 playoffs, including two strikeouts while finishing Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, the first NLCS game ever played at Nationals Park.
In 2020, Rainey pitched 20 1/3 innings of 2.66 ERA ball, recording 32 strikeouts and a 1-1 record, but forearm tightness in mid-September ended his season early. He returned in 2021 with a 7.39 ERA across 38 appearances, and in 2022 he improved to a 3.30 ERA with 12 saves in 29 games. On July 13, 2022, he was placed on the 60-day injured list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, and on August 3 he underwent Tommy John surgery.
Rainey returned from surgery on September 29, 2023, and in 2024 he made 50 appearances for Washington, posting a 4.76 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 51 innings. On November 22, 2024, the Nationals non-tendered him, making him a free agent.
Pittsburgh Pirates (2025)
On December 7, 2024, Rainey signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates and was assigned to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians to open the 2025 season. On May 3, the Pirates selected his contract and added him to their active roster, where he appeared in 11 games and posted a 0-1 record with a 10.57 ERA and nine strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.
On June 2, 2025, Pittsburgh designated him for assignment. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Indianapolis, but he rejected the assignment and elected free agency on June 4. He re-signed with Pittsburgh on a minor league deal on June 10, and the organization released him on July 8.
Detroit Tigers (2025-Present)
On July 18, 2025, Rainey signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers and joined the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. Across 19 appearances for Toledo, he went 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and one save in 23 2/3 innings. On September 21, the Tigers selected his contract and added him to the active roster.
Rainey appeared in two games for Detroit, striking out two batters over two innings. The Tigers designated him for assignment on November 18 and non-tendered him on November 21, making him a free agent again. On November 26, 2025, he re-signed with the Tigers on a minor league contract.
Notable Events and Milestones
Rainey’s most significant career milestone is his 2019 World Series championship with the Washington Nationals. His first MLB win came against his former organization, and his return from Tommy John surgery in 2023 marked another important comeback in his career.
Tanner Rainey Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Rainey was raised in the Covington, Louisiana area, where he attended St. Paul’s School and developed into a high-level pitcher. The wider details of his family background are not widely documented in public sources.
Personal Life
Tanner Rainey is married to his wife, Kelsey. The couple has two children: a son, Ryker, born in December 2021, and a daughter, Rory, born in January 2023. Rainey and his family have largely kept their home life out of the public spotlight.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was one of the busiest of Rainey’s career, as he moved between three organizations in a single year. After spending the first two months with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ system, he joined the active roster in May and struggled through a difficult stretch that led to his being designated for assignment in early June.
Following his release from Pittsburgh in July, Rainey signed with the Detroit Tigers and revitalized his season at Triple-A Toledo, where he posted a 2.66 ERA with 33 strikeouts across 19 appearances. His strong work in Toledo earned him a late-season call-up to the Tigers’ bullpen in September.
After his brief major league stint with Detroit and a brief period in free agency, Rainey re-signed with the Tigers on a minor league contract in late November 2025. He enters the offseason looking to build on his late-season Toledo form and compete for a role in the Tigers’ bullpen going forward.