The Tampa Bay Rays 2012 season was the team's 15th season of baseball, and the fifth as the "Rays" (all at Tropicana Field). The Rays hoped to improve on their 91–71 record from 2011 and make the postseason for a franchise record third straight season. They finished the season 90–72, third place in the American League East, and third place in the American League Wild Card, missing the postseason for the first time since 2009.

Offseason On November 27, 2011, the Rays traded catcher John Jaso to the Seattle Mariners for relief pitcher Josh Lueke, as well as a player to be named later or cash.

The Rays signed catcher José Molina on November 28, 2011, to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with a $1.5 million club option for 2013, with a $300,000 buyout.

On December 13, 2011, the Rays acquired relief pitcher Burke Badenhop from the Miami Marlins in exchange for minor league catcher Jake Jefferies. At midnight that night, Badenhop was one of six arbitration eligible players that were tendered by the Rays, along with outfielder B. J. Upton, starting pitchers Jeff Niemann and David Price, and relief pitchers J. P. Howell and Joel Peralta. Not tendered was relief pitcher and former starting pitcher for the Rays, Andy Sonnanstine.

Relief pitcher Fernando Rodney was signed on January 5 to a one-year contract worth $1.75 million. The deal included a team option for 2013 worth $2.5 million or a $250,000 buyout. In 2009, while playing for the Detroit Tigers, Rodney made news at Tropicana Field when he threw a baseball into the stadium's press box from the field after converting a save. He was suspended for three games following the incident. After being signed by the Rays, he apologized for his actions.

On January 11, the Rays signed Luke Scott to a one-year contract with an option for 2013. He is expected to be the team's designated hitter primarily, though he could also be used at first base.

On January 20, the Rays signed Carlos Peña, bringing him back to the Rays for the 2012 season after just one season away with the Cubs. The contract is worth a year at $7.25 million. He is expected to be the everyday first baseman, as he was in his previous stint from 2007–2010. Outfielder Justin Ruggiano was designated for assignment on January 24 to make room on the 40-man roster.

The Rays announced on February 15 that manager Joe Maddon was given a 3-year contract extension worth $6 million, which would last through the 2015 season.

Season standings

American League East

American League Wild Card

Record vs. opponents

Regular season

|- style="text-align:center; bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 || April 6 || Yankees || 7–6 || Rodney (1–0) || Rivera (0–1) || || 34,078 || 1–0 || |- style="text-align:center; bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || April 7 || Yankees || 8–6 || Price (1–0) || Kuroda (0–1) || Rodney (1) || 34,078 || 2–0 || |- style="text-align:center; bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || April 8 || Yankees || 3–0 || Hellickson (1–0) || Hughes (0–1) || Rodney (2) || 30,413 || 3–0 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || April 10 || @ Tigers || 2–5 || Coke (1–0) || McGee (0–1) || Valverde (1) || 22,574 || 3–1 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || April 11 || @ Tigers || 4–2 || Shields (1–0) || Verlander (0–1) || Rodney (3) || 28,180 || 4–1 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 12 || @ Tigers || 2–7 || Balester (1–0) || Niemann (0–1) || || 30,288 || 4–2 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 || April 13 || @ Red Sox || 2–12 || Beckett (1–1) || Price (1–1) || || 37,032 || 4–3 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 8 || April 14 || @ Red Sox || 5–13 || Buchholz (1–0) || Badenhop (0–1) || || 38,024 || 4–4 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 15 || @ Red Sox || 4–6 || Padilla (1–0) || Moore (0–1) || Aceves (2) || 38,024 || 4–5 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 10 || April 16 || @ Red Sox || 1–0 || Shields (2–0) || Bard (0–2) || Rodney (4) || 38,108 || 5–5 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || April 17 || @ Blue Jays || 3–7 || Romero (2–0) || Niemann (0–2) || || 15,331 || 5–6 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 12 || April 18 || @ Blue Jays || 12–2 || Price (2–1) || Morrow (0–1) || || 15,828 || 6–6 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 13 || April 19 || @ Blue Jays || 9–4 || Hellickson (2–0) || Álvarez (0–1) || || 18,976 || 7–6 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 20 || Twins || 4–5 || Maloney (1–0) || Gomes (0–1) || Capps (4) || 18,763 || 7–7 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 || April 21 || Twins || 4–1 || Shields (3–0) || Pavano (1–2) || Rodney (5) || 31,774 || 8–7 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || April 22 || Twins || 6–2 || Niemann (1–2) || Liriano (0–3) || || 26,507 || 9–7 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 24 || Angels || 5–0 || Price (3–1) || Santana (0–4) || || 14,933 || 10–7 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 18 || April 25 || Angels || 3–2 || Hellickson (3–0) || Wilson (2–2) || Rodney (6) || 14,638 || 11–7 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || April 26 || Angels || 4–3 || Gomes (1–1) || Walden (0–1) || || 15,417 || 12–7 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || April 27 || @ Rangers || 8–4 || Shields (4–0) || Harrison (3–1) || || 47,496 || 13–7 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 21 || April 28 || @ Rangers || 2–7 || Lewis (3–0) || Niemann (1–3) || || 49,197 || 13–8 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 22 || April 29 || @ Rangers || 5–2 || Price (4–1) || Holland (2–2) || Rodney (7) || 43,475 || 14–8 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 23 || April 30 || Mariners || 3–2 (12) || Howell (1–0) || League (0–2) || || 9,458 || 15–8 ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || May 1 || Mariners || 3–1 || Moore (1–1) || Noesí (1–3) || Rodney (8) || 9,972 || 16–8 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 25 || May 2 || Mariners || 5–4 || Shields (5–0) || Beavan (1–3) || Peralta (1) || 9,837 || 17–8 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || May 3 || Mariners || 4–3 || Niemann (2–3) || Millwood (0–3) || Rodney (9) || 11,575 || 18–8 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 27 || May 4 || Athletics || 7–2 || Price (5–1) || Ross (1–2) || Peralta (2) || 18,799 || 19–8 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 || May 5 || Athletics || 3–4 (12) || Fuentes (2–0) || Peralta (0–1) || Balfour (7) || 23,890 || 19–9 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 29 || May 6 || Athletics || 5–9 || Milone (4–2) || Moore (1–2) || || 23,873 || 19–10 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 30 || May 8 || @ Yankees || 3–5 || Nova (4–1) || Shields (5–1) || Robertson (1) || 37,086 || 19–11 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 31 || May 9 || @ Yankees || 4–1 || Rodney (2–0) || Robertson (0–1) || || 38,024 || 20–11 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 10 || @ Yankees || 3–5 || Sabathia (5–0) || Price (5–2) || Soriano (1) || 37,720 || 20–12 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 11 || @ Orioles || 3–4 || O'Day (3–0) || Peralta (0–2) || Johnson (10) || 26,669 || 20–13 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 34 || May 12 || @ Orioles || 3–5 || Matusz (2–4) || Moore (1–3) || Johnson (11) || 32,862 || 20–14 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || May 13 || @ Orioles || 9–8 || Shields (6–1) || Arrieta (2–4) || Rodney (10) || 29,552 || 21–14 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 || May 14 || @ Blue Jays || 7–1 || Ramos (1–0) || Morrow (4–2) || || 15,289 || 22–14 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 15 || @ Blue Jays || 4–3 || Price (6–2) || Álvarez (3–3) || Rodney (11) || 15,612 || 23–14 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 || May 16 || Red Sox || 2–1 || Hellickson (4–0) || Buchholz (4–2) || Rodney (12) || 20,843 || 24–14 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 || May 17 || Red Sox || 3–5 || Doubront (4–1) || Moore (1–4) || Aceves (8) || 19,842 || 24–15 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 18 || Braves || 3–5 || Hanson (5–3) || Shields (6–2) || Kimbrel (12) || 19,693 || 24–16 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 41 || May 19 || Braves || 5–2 || Cobb (1–0) || Delgado (2–4) || Rodney (13) || 27,433 || 25–16 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 42 || May 20 || Braves || 0–2 || Hudson (3–1) || Price (6–3) || Kimbrel (13) || 24,759 || 25–17 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 || May 21 || Blue Jays || 2–6 || Drabek (4–4) || Hellickson (4–1) || || 10,844 || 25–18 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 || May 22 || Blue Jays || 8–5 || Davis (1–0) || Hutchison (3–2) || Rodney (14) || 12,307 || 26–18 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 45 || May 23 || Blue Jays || 5–4 (11) || McGee (1–1) || Oliver (0–2) || || 11,471 || 27–18 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 || May 25 || @ Red Sox || 7–4 || Cobb (2–0) || Lester (3–4) || Rodney (15) || 37,594 || 28–18 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 || May 26 || @ Red Sox || 2–3 || Hill (1–0) || Rodney (2–1) || || 38,099 || 28–19 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 48 || May 27 || @ Red Sox || 4–3 || McGee (2–1) || Aceves (0–2) || Rodney (16) || 37,844 || 29–19 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || May 28 || White Sox || 1–2 || Sale (6–2) || Moore (1–5) || Reed (5) || 22,227 || 29–20 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 50 || May 29 || White Sox || 2–7 || Humber (2–2) || Shields (6–3) || || 13,735 || 29–21 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 51 || May 30 || White Sox || 3–4 || Jones (3–0) || Cobb (2–1) || Reed (6) || 13,369 || 29–22 ||

|- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 52 || June 1 || Orioles || 5–0 || Price (7–3) || Chen (4–2) || Rodney (17) || 17,224 || 30–22 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 53 || June 2 || Orioles || 1–2 || Matusz (5–5) || Hellickson (4–2) || Johnson (17) || 21,693 || 30–23 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 54 || June 3 || Orioles || 8–4 || Moore (2–5) || Arrieta (2–7) || || 21,693 || 31–23 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 55 || June 5 || @ Yankees || 0–7 || Pettitte (3–2) || Shields (6–4) || || 40,537 || 31–24 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 56 || June 6 || @ Yankees || 1–4 || Nova (7–2) || Cobb (2–2) || Soriano (8) || 38,370 || 31–25 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 57 || June 7 || @ Yankees || 7–3 || Price (8–3) || Sabathia (7–3) || || 39,891 || 32–25 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 58 || June 8 || @ Marlins || 5–1 || Badenhop (1–1) || Nolasco (6–4) || || 29,628 || 33–25 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 59 || June 9 || @ Marlins || 13–4 || Moore (3–5) || Zambrano (4–4) || || 30,963 || 34–25 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 60 || June 10 || @ Marlins || 4–2 || Shields (7–4) || Sánchez (3–5) || Rodney (18) || 31,111 || 35–25 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 61 || June 12 || Mets || 2–11 || Young (1–0) || Cobb (2–3) || || 17,334 || 35–26 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 62 || June 13 || Mets || 1–9 || Dickey (10–1) || Price (8–4) || || 18,496 || 35–27 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 63 || June 14 || Mets || 6–9 || Santana (4–3) || Hellickson (4–3) || Francisco (16) || 21,947 || 35–28 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 64 || June 15 || Marlins || 11–0 || Moore (4–5) || Zambrano (4–5) || || 18,369 || 36–28 || |- style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffbbbb"