A 2022 return for Shane Baz is looking increasingly doubtful, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Rays skipper Kevin Cash told the Rays beat this week that a recent scan of Baz’s right elbow went “well,” but Baz still won’t begin even light throwing for at least another two weeks.
That timetable would give Baz, who’s been out since July 14 due to an elbow sprain, six weeks to go from playing catch, to throwing bullpen sessions, to facing live hitters, to a minor league rehab assignment and eventual reinstatement from the injured list. Baz was moved to the 60-day IL just two days after the team placed him on the 15-day IL and announced a four-week shutdown, so they’ve clearly been expecting a lengthy absence all along.
That 60-day period would allow Baz to be activated in mid-September, although following this latest update, it sounds as though a late-September or early October return is a best-case scenario. In theory anyway, that could set the stage for a postseason return, particularly if the Rays make a deep run, though both Baz and the team have several hurdles yet to clear before that’s an earnest consideration.
Ranked by Baseball America earlier this season as the top pitching prospect in the entire sport, the 23-year-old Baz has been limited to just six appearances on the season — the final of which saw him surrender seven runs in 2 1/3 frames before heading to the injured list. The 6’2″ righty has overwhelmed Triple-A lineups, pitching to a 1.58 ERA in parts of two seasons, and carries a 4.02 ERA in a smaller sample of 40 2/3 big league innings.
Baz has been one of several notable arms absent from the Rays’ rotation for much of the season. Also on the shelf for a notable portion of the season thus far have been Tyler Glasnow, Luis Patino, Brendan McKay, Yonny Chirinos and Josh Fleming (all of which have come in addition to briefer IL stints for righty Drew Rasmussen and breakout lefty Jeffrey Springs).
Beyond the continued no-throw period for Baz, there’s ominous news regarding reliever J.P. Feyereisen; Topkin further reports he’ll head for an MRI after experiencing shoulder discomfort while playing catch. That scan will take place today.
Acquired from the Brewers in the trade that sent Willy Adames to Milwaukee last year, Feyereisen has been one of baseball’s best relievers since coming to Tampa Bay. Already a solid member of the Milwaukee relief corps, he’s broken out with a 1.48 ERA in 61 innings since the trade — including a staggering 24 1/3 innings of shutout baseball to begin the 2022 season. Feyereisen punched out 29.1% of his opponents this season against a 5.8% walk rate before hitting the injured list due to an impingement in his right shoulder. Presumably, a potential timetable for Feyereisen’s return will become clearer following today’s imaging, but he’s already missed more than two months on the injured list.
In more positive news on the injury front, the Rays announced this week that outfielder Manuel Margot, who’s been out since mid-June with a sprained patellar tendon in his knee, has been cleared for a rehab assignment. Margot went 0-for-3 with the Rays’ Rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate last night and figures to move up the ladder over the next couple weeks. He’s been on the injured list since June 21 and is eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day IL on Aug. 20.
2022 Sting Rays World Series Champions.
Rent free
Electric free
Baz = Kopech
One is 26, one is 23. Sure.
So far Baz doesn’t need TJS
Imagine being a Yankees fan and trying to make an excuse of injuries lately for the big slide. The Rays have literally been this the whole entire season
Tied for best record in the AL and double digit lead is a big slide? Hyperbole much?
I mean the last month… one of the worst records in baseball. Behind the cubs and reds and others
Well, 1. you didn’t say that and 2. what I said actually applies to the entire year instead of a sample with endpoints that support your point
I’ll say it again, Hyperbole much? Oh no, now they’re two games behind LAD for best record in baseball instead of 2 ahead. The horror!
kc38, which Yankees fans are complaining about injuries?
@kc38- Well goody two shoes for the stingrays!
Lost season for Tampa. They’ll be back next year stronger and better.
I wouldn’t say a lost season yet. The pitching they have is still really good and some of their key bats (Franco, Ramirez, and Margot) are just a couple of weeks away from returning. They just have to make the playoffs and anything can happen. Nobody would’ve predicted the Braves would be World Series champions this time last year.
Feyereisen may have been one of baseball’s best relievers since that trade, but the Rays still lost that trade big time. No matter how good a reliever is, he’s still not as important as a quality shortstop. The Rays gave up Adames for way too little.
They also got Rasmussen, and had no place for Willy. I love Willy, I was sad when they traded him, but the FO did a great job with that trade: a stud starter and a stud reliever for a guy who no longer fit in the plans. Context is important to truly understand trades.
Ooh poor baby!
The Rays also got Drew Rasmussen, who’s started 29 games (plus 10 relief appearances before moving into the rotation full-time) and pitched 150 1/3 innings of 2.75 ERA ball. Rasmussen and Feyereisen are both controlled two years longer than Adames is.
There doesn’t need to be a “winner” and a “loser” in every trade. This deal pretty clearly helped both teams, particularly since the Rays almost immediately swapped out Adames for Wander Franco.
The Brewers also got Trevor Richards who pitched very well for them and they flipped a couple months later for Rowdy Tellez. If people are arguing that Wander Franco should be considered, then Tellez should definitely be considered also.
So basically the trade was Willy Adames AND Rowdy Tellez for Rasmussen, Feyereisen and a prospect to Toronto.
You bring up a fair point that there may not be a loser in the deal, but the Brewers were a BIG winner, while I would argue the Rays were a much smaller winner. Although it could be argued that Toronto was the loser of this Brewers/Rays trade.
As a Jays fan that trade was confusing. Especially with Atkins’ off season proclamations that the Jays needed left-handed bats to balance out the line up. Now Richards is having one of his spotty control years and Bowden Francis is sporting an ERA over 7 in AAA. You win some, you lose some I guess.
I would not call the Brewers a big winner. This is a no-lose trade. Feyereisen and Rasssmussen have been lights out. Tellez has been great this year and Adames is an above average fielder with a good glove. There was no massive winner, or loser.
Willy also couldn’t see the ball at the trop so he was worthless there. Getting 2 above average pitchers for a slightly above average shortstop while also opening a spot for Franco… far from a loss
Yeah, he still is struggling seeing the ball. .224 BA, .288 obp and .747 ops. He was a spark plug and still is to some extent. As a Crew fan this seems to be the definition of a balanced trade as those are 2 very good pitchers which were hard to see go.
Where’s Wander been all year? He’s “pulling a Stanton”?
If you followed baseball you would know they got Rasmussen too. This was an even trade
You are correct, I really should start following baseball. It seems like a fun sport even if some of the fans are really annoying.
That’s rough. Kind of assumed that about Baz, but losing J.P. really hurts. But then again, everything has been hurting for the Rays. A main reason for the problems this year: bullpen.
Only a matter of time before they leave the state of Florida altogether.
Hard to believe we haven’t seen Chirinos since ’20 or McKay since ’19. Just shows how deep the talent pool is in this organization that they can lose guys for literally years and still be competitive
The Archer trade was disastrous for the Pirates but it does look a little less painful each year as the guys they traded away don’t reach their full potential for the Rays (though Baz should still be great). Still one of the most boneheaded front office moves in recent memory.
Careful, you’ll get a number of apologists preaching to you about how Glasnow didn’t look like he would progress (despite throwing in the upper 90’s), that Meadows was never going to be a good hitter and that Baz was an unknown element at the ML level
I suspect all three will be back and have some modicum of success. No matter, the Archer trade certainly was eligible for the Bonehead Hall of Fame
Meadows had the huge start to 2019 and was average afterwards for much of his time in Tampa. Was being platooned a lot during his last season in Tampa. Now on an extended IL trip with injuries to both Achilles at the same time. How does that happen? Glasnow has spent a ton of time on the IL since in Tampa and now Baz will have missed most of his first season on the IL with an elbow injury suffered playing catch on the side. Archer ended up being an injury issue himself. All 4 guys will have spend significant time on the IL I agree with @KermitJagger is not quite as disastrous as it once was. due to everyone on both sides have been hurt.
The rays also then flipped meadows for Parades and a pretty high draft pick, and parades is leading the team in homers despite only 217 AB’s…
I was just considering the trade in itself.. Adding Parades did add the 14 home runs but he is only hitting 217 so the jury is still out on Parades.
Any rotisserie aficionados- I traded Baz for Sale about 2 months ago because I didn’t intend to keep Baz for my ’23 roster. Should I use one of my keeper spots and retain Sale?
After you teach him how to ride a bike
I’d be so upset if I was a real owner!