As I wrote earlier, left-hander Blake Snell will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Monday to remove the loose bodies from his left elbow. Snell has been placed on the 10-day injured list, and the team anticipates that he will be ready to return to the club in September.
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is 6-7 with a 4.28 ERA in 20 starts on the season, with 136 strikeouts across 101 innings. In spite of a bloated ERA — he hasn’t gotten the strand rate and BABIP benefits that he enjoyed last season — Snell had been excellent in July, maintaining a 1.13 ERA and a 3.59 FIP with 19 strikeouts across 16 innings of work (10.69 K/9 in three starts).
Losing Snell is hit for Tampa Bay as the team for a playoff berth. They enter play Thursday a game behind the Athletics for the second AL Wildcard slot at 58-47. Charlie Morton and Yonny Chirinos now stand as the only healthy starters on the roster. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow has been on the 60-day IL with a right forearm strain since May 10th, and there is some doubt as to whether he’ll be able to return before the end of the season.
Brendan McKay is probably the likeliest candidate to replace Snell on the roster, as he was optioned to Triple-A Durham last week following an impressive four-start beginning to his big league career. A word of caution though, McKay has already pitched 86 innings between the minors and big leagues in 2019, and since his previous season-high was only 78-1/3 frames (last season), the Rays likely won’t push him as a long-term answer this season. If anything, McKay could fill in long enough for Snell to get healthy, albeit with some judicious innings-management (perhaps with openers picking up the slack).
As Mark Polishuk (MLB Trade Rumors) writes, the Rays could seek out some pitching help at the trade deadline next Wednesday.
As the trade deadline approaches, the Rays could seek out some pitching help, at least a second-tier veteran arm simply as an innings-eater to bail out the rotation while Snell recovers. Tampa Bay has been loath, however, to acquire such pitchers over the last two years, preferring to rely on in-house answers and their opener strategy rather than an innings-eater type. Being in the heat of a postseason race could adjust the Rays’ perspective, of course, particularly if a traditional starter could be had at a relatively low price. Alternatively, the Rays could also opt to make a big splash for a front-of-the-rotation type of arm, if they’re willing to give up the big prospect package such a hurler would naturally cost.
— Mark Polishuk