10:02 am: Fairbanks expects to miss around a month, he tells reporters. Cash says the righty will be shut down from throwing for two to three weeks. (Topkin links).
9:07 am: The Rays are selecting the contract of reliever Hunter Strickland, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link) and Adam Berry of MLB.com (via Twitter). Catcher Joseph Odom has been designated for assignment to open 40-man roster space. Additionally, outfielder Brett Phillips has been activated from the injured list, while right-hander Pete Fairbanks is headed to the 10-day IL with a right rotator cuff strain.
Strickland had a productive run with the Giants from 2015-18 but has fallen on hard times over the past couple seasons. He managed just a 5.55 ERA/5.01 SIERA between the Mariners and Nationals in 2019, then tallied just 3.1 innings of four-run ball with the Mets last year before being sent to the alternate training site. The hard-throwing righty signed a minors contract with Tampa Bay in February and is now in line to make his team debut.
Fairbanks’ loss is another blow to a Rays’ bullpen already without Nick Anderson and Chaz Roe for extended periods of time. It isn’t clear how long Fairbanks will be on the shelf, but a lengthy absence would deprive Tampa Bay of one of their best relievers. The 27-year-old tossed 26.2 innings of 2.70 ERA/3.48 SIERA ball in the regular season in 2020, earning manager Kevin Cash’s trust in the late innings for the postseason.
Phillips returns after opening the year on the IL due to a hamstring strain. He could see some playing time as the fourth outfielder while Kevin Kiermaier is on the shelf with a quad strain. Odom was selected to the Rays’ roster last week and went hitless in a pair of plate appearances.
LordD99
Tampa pen suffering multiple injuries. Perhaps due to a heavy workload last year over a compressed period?
its_happening
Do the Rays play Philly this year? Asking for my friend Bryce.
DarkSide830
lol
nats3256
lol! although I think that’s over. I dont remember any issues when Strickland was a National and faced Harper.
Mrtwotone
@wereallguestshere
I believe so actually, if my memory serves me right the NL east plays the AL east in interleague play this year. Although I’m a braves fan I hope Harper puts a beat down on that tool Strickland.
The Baseball Fan
Dang.
ajrodz1335
So our only good reliever is Diego Castillo, we went from the Stable to the horse tied to a rope near where the stable used to be.
mlb1225
Don’t worry, the Rays will claim some minor league reliever and he’ll be a top 15 bullpen arm in 2021.
Mrtwotone
That horse is Boxer from “animal farm”. Off to the glue factory we go!
junkmale
Chaz Roe is a bum anyway. He’s no big loss. He’ll be blowing saves for the Marlins (he reeks of the type of mediocre reliever they acquire to close) in no time. Anderson and Fairbanks, however…
SFGbreezy
L
Rbase
Strickland 2021 numbers: 40 innings, 2.40 ERA, 0.95 Whip, 11.5 K/9. And then he’s traded to some random team in the offseason
seamaholic 2
Could have made some money betting on Fairbanks getting hurt this year. What with him being totally overused during the playoffs last year, and that funky, cringey, non-athletic delivery and high velocity, that was almost a given.
Sideline Redwine
Ah yes, the keyboard warriors who know more than the people who actually do this for a living. I always find it interesting that folks need to play the blame game about everything.
Captain-Judge99
Tampa Bay Rays 3021 Champions
StPeteStingRays
Wow, our reign is going to last a millennia?!?. Thanks!
Captain-Judge99
@StPeteStingRays- when are the Rays going to leave Tampa? So they can at least have the $ to re-sign Tyler Glasnow to a long term contract for the die hard fans like yourself?
FloridaBoy14
They should bring Honeywell up and put him in the bullpen. It’d be a good way to ease him back into competitive pitching, and I’d much rather see him than Chris Mazza.
Sideline Redwine
I like that idea.
These injuries hurt no doubt, but there is plenty of talent at the alt site. Honey, Patino, Fleming, McClanahan…et al. Not counting this season out yet, even if monomaniacal yankee fans are trying to make it appear thusly.
vincent k. mcmahon
I mean yes Strickland hasn’t been good the last 2 seasons, but maybe the Rays staff will fix that. I think if he sticks on the roster, he finishes with an ERA in the 3.20s, 50 IP, 1.15 WHIP, and a 7.5K/9.
Captain-Judge99
The Rays can’t even have Glasnow start their home opener this afternoon? They gotta go with the 99 year old Rich Hill? That’s pretty sad. Smh
Ji-Man Choi
1) Well he just pitched so it would be stupid to pitch him on short rest just for the home opener
2) Check the box score from today’s game
HBan22
Can somebody explain to me why the Rays traded John Curtiss to the Marlins?? It didn’t make sense to me at the time, and it makes even less sense now with the Rays entire bullpen hurt. Curtiss broke out last season and looked to be an effective, controllable bullpen arm for the next few years. Maybe they didn’t think he was for real, but a 25/3 K/BB ratio and a 0.96 WHIP over 25 innings is impressive. The Rays don’t lose many trades, but if I had to guess, I bet they regret that one right about now.
Ji-Man Choi
People said the Rays were dumb for trading Ryne “The Opener” Stanek in a package for Nick Anderson and we see how that turned out. I’m very close with Pirates skipper Derek Shelton and he told me to never doubt the Rays in anything they do. It may not make sense now, but it will by the end of the year
Technically correct
Right now, maybe. But no one should operate as if all their bullpen would go down in the first week.
I didn’t remember the trade, so referenced the MLBTR post and it sounded like Curtis’ breakout during the shortened goofy season was very much the outlier.
Ron Tingley
I will throw in Aaron Slegers as well. Go Angels!!