Feyereisen aims to be driving force in 'pen

Prior to being acquired in a trade with the Brewers, Rays reliever J.P. Feyereisen did not have much experience playing at Tropicana Field before the start of the current homestand.

His first time at The Trop was on Tuesday, but despite not knowing his new club’s home ballpark too well, Feyereisen said he did know the area.

Feyereisen did not get familiar with Tampa Bay and the surrounding areas as a tourist or a visiting ballplayer. Rather, he got to know it after spending Spring Training in Florida in 2018 as a Minor Leaguer with the Yankees' organization and driving with Uber on the side to make some extra money during the Grapefruit League season.

His routine: Go to the ballpark. Get his work done. Then get to driving.

“Spring Training, you're done after a game by three, four in the afternoon and you have the rest of the night to either lay around or go make a little extra cash,” said Feyereisen, who picked up his first Major League win after a blown save in the ninth inning as the Rays rallied in the 10th for a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Royals on Wednesday.

Feyereisen, who is a five-star driver but not a five-star guest within Uber’s rating system, said one of his most popular trips as a driver was during NHL games for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who play at Amalie Arena, which is roughly a 22-mile drive from Tropicana Field.

The right-handed reliever said the Uber shifts during Lightning games were “when you can make your most money” as a driver. He added that he provided the full service, including amenities for his guests.

“I don't know why my rider rating is lower than five stars, but my driver rating is five stars,” Feyereisen said. “I had the gum and the chargers, and everything you need in the Uber. Waters in the cooler. Oh yeah, I was doing it all.”

The reliever did not have any encounters with teammates, but he did have one encounter with scouts from the Marlins' organization. Feyereisen said the scouts recognized him as a pitcher with the Yankees after he picked them up from a Major League Spring Training game once Feyereisen wrapped up his work at the Yanks' Minor League camp for the day.

“[They saw] J.P. as [the] driver and they're like, ‘Hey, do you pitch for the Yankees?’ I was like, 'Yeah, I do,'” he recalled. “They were like, ‘Oh, we're Miami Marlins scouts.’”

Now in the Majors, Feyereisen has put his career as an Uber driver aside as he becomes a fit in the Rays' bullpen after being acquired by Tampa Bay in exchange for Willy Adames on Friday.

“It's been great,” he said. “Everyone here is great. It's easy to adjust to. It's also my third time moving teams so it gets easier every single time. [It's a] great clubhouse here and it's been really fun so far.”