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A Below Average Rays Fan Blog

Glasnow, Lowe, Wendle, and Garcia injury updates

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Tyler Glasnow could return to the fold in September, albeit in a lesser role.

Three months after Tyler Glasnow last took the mound in a big-league ballgame, it appears that a window of opportunity could be opening for his return to the big league roster before the end of the season.

Glasnow, out since May 10 with forearm concerns, threw 15 fastballs off the mound on Monday and is scheduled for a pair of bullpen sessions on Wednesday and Friday before moving on to live batting practice next week with the team in Houston. If all goes as planned, he will begin a rehab assignment around August 30 with Class-A Charlotte Stone Crabs.

The speed was relatively game-like, everything felt good, so I’m optimistic, for sure. It feels really good.

— Tyler Glasnow

Glasnow’s return comes with a caveat, however: the right-hander likely will not be built up as a starter and will, instead, be used as a relief option if all goes well over the next few weeks.

I’m going to rehab initially out of the ‘pen, I believe. I don’t know if I’ll build up to two innings, I’m not sure. I’m sure it’ll all depend on how I’m feeling with the recovery and whatnot. However they want to use me, I’m down to do whatever.

— Tyler Glasnow

As Juan Toribio (MLB.com) writes, Rays skipper Kevin Cash hasn’t given thought to how the Rays will use Glasnow.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said that the team hasn’t given any thought if Glasnow would be used as an opener or in the backend of the bullpen. Regardless of his role, if Tampa Bay can get Glasnow, who led the American League with a 1.86 ERA before landing on the 60-day injured list, he’ll give the Rays an added boost as they look to secure one of the two American League Wildcard spots.

— Juan Toribio

Meanwhile, another hurler working his way back from an injury, southpaw Blake Snell, is on track to return in September.

Tampa Bay is also missing a few banged-up position players, including Brandon Lowe, Joey Wendle, and Avisail Garcia. There’s positive news on all three.

Lowe is progressing in his rehab assignment, which has been moved to Triple-A Durham.

Lowe continues to progress and said he feels good in spite of “not being 100%” with the injury. His biggest challenges thus far have been his mobility, although he told Toribio that he’s taken significant strides in those areas and hopes to return during the next road trip.

I’m itching to get back. I’m hoping that it’s not very long, but it’s something we’re going to find out while we’re (in Durham) and test it.

— Brandon Lowe

As with Lowe, Wendle has been trending in the right direction as he works his way back from a wrist injury that he suffered in late July. The infielder said his wrist feels good and hopes to return after a handful of games with Durham.

Everything is feeling really good. It’s just a matter of getting some at-bats and making sure when I come back I’m productive and ready to go.

— Joey Wendle

As for Garcia, who was placed on the IL on Wednesday with an oblique strain, an MRI on Friday revealed that the injury isn’t especially serious, and the outfielder probably won’t miss more than the minimum of 10 days on the IL. Garcia took batting practice in the cage on Monday, and the plan is for him to take on-field batting practice on Tuesday, and then play one rehab game towards the end of this week.

Rays promote RHP Peter Fairbanks; injury notes

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Flame thrower Peter Fairbanks was promoted to the Rays on Friday.

The Tampa Bay Rays announced that right-handed pitching prospect Peter Fairbanks has been promoted to the big leagues. Fellow right-hander Jose De Leon was optioned back to Durham in place of Fairbanks.

Fairbanks, 25, was acquired in a trade that sent fellow infielder Nick Solak from Tampa Bay to Texas.

The right-hander boasts an electric mid-to-upper ’90s fastball and a slider that flashes plus-plus at times. FanGraphs called Fairbanks an “impact relief piece,” while grading his fastball (70/70)/slider (55/55) combo as one of the best for burgeoning relief prospects across the minors.

Interestingly enough, Fairbanks started his career with a low 90’s heater and credited the increase in velocity to a change in his delivery as he rehabilitated from Tommy John surgery.

The rehab team was all on board with it. It’s happened really fast. It’s still baseball. It’s just in front of a lot more people who really care how you do. I knew if I sucked this year, I’d be released, probably.


— Peter Fairbanks

The former ninth-round draft pick has pitched to a 3.96 ERA with a whopping 14.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 4.87 K/BB, 0.49 HR/9 and an above-average ground-ball rate across 36-1/3 innings in Triple-A this season, and fanned 19 batters in 10-1/3 innings at Durham.

Noteworthiness

— Tyler Glasnow has been throwing from 90 feet and is scheduled for his first bullpen session on Monday.

— Both Joey Wendle and Brandon Lowe told Juan Toribio (MLB.com) that they feel better from their respective injuries and all went well in their first rehab games. They still need to play a couple more games before they will be activated from the IL.

Rays look for a series win Tuesday night; Jose Alvarado activated from the IL

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  • Matt Duffy, who drove in three runs on four hits and a walk, and Erik Sogard both scored in a four-run eighth inning Monday night. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

After defeating the San Diego Padres on Monday, 10-4, the Tampa Bay Rays will try for a series win Tonight. At 70-50 on the season, Tampa Bay is 20-games above .500 for the first time since 2013, when the Rays last reached the postseason. The Rays were also 20-games over .500 the other three times they made the playoffs: 2011, 2010, and 2008.

According to the team, since the second Wildcard was added in 2012, all 27 teams to win 70 or more of first 120 ballgames made playoffs.

The Rays enter play two games ahead of Oakland for the final Wildcard spot, and two behind Minnesota for the lead Wildcard spot. FanGraphs gives them an 81.1% chance of a postseason berth, while Baseball Prospectus gives them an 85.7% likelihood of playing beyond September As Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) writes, Tampa Bay is 39-22 on the road, best in baseball, and has won eight straight games away from Tropicana Field. The Rays also are 12-4 against NL clubs this season.

The New What Next

Brendan McKay (2-2, 4.55 ERA) will make his seventh big league start, pitching opposite of fellow southpaw Eric Lauer (6-8, 4.51 ERA).

Brendan McKay allowed three earned runs on six hits and a walk while striking out eight over five innings against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. McKay continued to post impressive strikeout totals, backed by 14 swinging strikes on 93 total pitches (15% SwStr). His outing was soured by two homers, although both were solo shots. He now has a 4.55 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP with 33 punchouts across 29-2/3 innings on the season. Tuesday’s appearance will be the two-way player’s first opportunity to pitch and hit in the same game.

Eric Lauer threw four innings and gave up three runs on 10 hits while striking out two. Lauer did little to stifle Colorado’s offense as he allowed at least one hit in each inning and induced only four whiffs. The result could have been worse if not for a number of defensive plays behind him, including a putout at home plate followed by a double play to end the threat after Lauer allowed three consecutive singles to begin the fourth inning. The 24-year-old maintains a 4.51 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and a 2.87 K/BB across 109-2/3 innings. Lauer relies primarily on a 92 mph four-seam and an 88 mph cutter with strong cutting action, while also mixing in a 77 mph 12-6 curveball that has some two-plane movement. Key Matchups: Tommy Pham (2-5)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs Padres — an Interleague series preview

Rays 8/13/19 Starting Lineup

  1. Heredia CF
  2. Meadows LF
  3. Duffy 3B
  4. Garcia RF
  5. Choi 1B
  6. Adames SS
  7. Sogard 2B
  8. Zunino C
  9. McKay LHP

Noteworthiness

— Left-handed reliever Jose Alvarado will re-join the team tonight after a month-long (give or take) stint on the Injured List. Austin Pruitt, who threw four innings last night, has been optioned to Durham to create space on the active roster for Alvarado. He needed just five rehab appearances between the Class-A Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs and the Triple-A Durham Bulls to be reinstated from the injury.

The Rays will need another bulk or starting pitcher sometime after the upcoming off-day, on Thursday.

— On July 28th, Tommy Pham attempted to stretch a single into a double. In doing so, Pham fractured his hand on a head-first slide, which, when faced with a question of why he hasn’t been in the lineup as often of late, he confirmed in an interview with Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times):

Pham didn’t have a lot of specifics to offer but said the injury is more than a sprain.

I’ve got some problems, he said. There’s a small fracture, but it’s small enough where I can play. And I’ve got some swelling.

— Marc Topkin

Kevin Cash has used Pham sparingly although the outfielder is hesitant to rest his injury. In eight games since the injury, Pham has five hits (three doubles) across 34 plate appearances.

Ever the fighter, Pham made it known that he has no intention of going on the IL:

I’m not going on the injured list, I’ll fight them on that.

— Tommy Pham

The team is granting his wishes for now, although Rays officials are requesting second opinions on his hand to determine the new what next.

Yonny Chirinos placed on the IL; Glasnow and Snell update

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The Rays are placing Yonny Chirinos on the 10-day IL with an inflamed right middle finger.

The Tampa Bay Rays announced Monday that right-hander Yonny Chirinos is headed to the 10-day Injured List with an inflamed right middle finger. Right-hander Austin Pruitt is coming up to take the open roster spot, at least for the time being.

The Rays are anticipating a reasonably lengthy absence — Chirinos will be shut down for at least two weeks. Kevin Cash announced that right-hander is expected to be sidelined for more than a month.

It’s unfortunate. He’s going to be out some time.

— Kevin Cash

Chirinos, who had some issue in that finger previously, said it became a more acute issue in the fourth inning of Sunday’s ballgame when he threw a slider. He was pulled after five innings.

It’s irritated. He tried to kind of work through it a little bit but we felt like after this last five-inning outing it kind of flared up on him. Took him out of the game, had some doctors and it made the most sense to shut him down.

— Kevin Cash

The Rays aren’t entirely certain how they will handle this situation over the long-term.

I’m not sure. I need some time to process it. We’ll put our heads together and do what’s best for the guys currently on the team and how we’re going to be able to pull from the minor leagues to provide pitches and innings. But we’ve got three guys that we counted on for 180-plus innings, they’re all sitting and watching games. So, not ideal. But bet on these guys to pick each other up and find a way to figure it out.

— Kevin Cash

Chirinos has been an important part of the Rays rotation which lost Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell to injury. Pruitt was promoted to take Chirinos’ place on the active roster, although he is coming off a shoulder-related IL stint at Triple-A, so it doesn’t sound like he will be a long-term solution.

Trevor Richards (who was acquired from Miami and needs to be stretched out from relief work to multi-inning duty), Jose De Leon, and Anthony Banda (who is completing his Tommy John rehab) are all in house options to take Chirinos’ place either as a starter or in a bulk-inning role.

The team did receive positive news on Glasnow and Snell. Glasnow threw from 60 feet this afternoon — his first time throwing in six weeks — and said his forearm “felt really good.” As for Snell, the left-hander told reporters that his bone-chip removal procedure went well. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner told reporters that team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Eaton removed six bone chips from his elbow (five small, one kind of large) … that he has regained a good range of motion, and feels good. He, however, won’t have any real sense of his schedule until the inflammation in his elbow subsides.

Thankfully the Rays own the second easiest schedule in remaining games in the American League, and Tampa Bay just started its softest stretch of the season. The team will play 19 consecutive games against teams that currently are below .500, with three games against the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres, four against the Baltimore Orioles, and six against the Seattle Mariners. If the Rays can weather this storm into September, when Glasnow and Snell are expected to return, they should be in good shape heading into the last stretch of the season and into the playoffs.

Rays look for a sweep in Boston, on Thursday

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  • Do your thing, Colin. The Rays left-handed reliever has come up big the last two nights (2-2/3 innings of work). (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

After an 8-5 win over the reigning World Series champions on Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Rays will go for a series sweep tonight in Boston. Tampa Bay has dominated the Red Sox at Fenway Park this season, going 7-1, and is 4-1 on the current road trip.

They enter play a half-game ahead of the Athletics for the final playoff spot, 2-1/2 games back of Cleveland for the top Wildcard spot, 7-1/2 games behind New York in the AL East, and 2-1/2 games ahead of the third-place Red Sox. As of Thursday, Baseball Prospectus gave the Rays a 69.8% chance of a postseason berth, while FanGraphs is a little less bullish, giving them a 56.4% chance — up 6% from Wednesday.

(Credit: FanGraphs)

Tampa Bay came out strong Wednesday night, scoring five runs in the first two innings on a Travis d’Arnaud RBI base hit (scoring Ji-Man Choi from second), a second-inning leadoff solo homer by Kevin Kiermaier, and a three-run home run to right by Austin Meadows (scoring Willy Adames and Choi).

They tacked on one more in the sixth inning on Adames’ 411-foot blast to left, and two more in the seventh on Kiermaier’s triple (scoring Lowe from first) and Matt Duffy’s single (scoring Kiermaier).

Colin Poche’s 1-1/3 outing appearance was a huge contribution to the victory. The Red Sox rallied for three runs in the seventh inning, chasing Ryan Yarbrough. With Andrew Benintendi at the plate and runners on the corners, Poche entered the game and struck out the left-handed-hitter to end the frame.

His sequence of pitches:

  1. Fastball down and on the outside corner (foul ball, strike one).
  2. Fastball at the belt and on the outside corner (foul ball, strike two).
  3. Inside fastball above the zone (ball one, but changing Benintendi’s eye level).
  4. Inside fastball at the belt (foul ball).
  5. 84 mph slider which the Red Sox’s outfielder swung through.

Then in the eighth inning, Poche worked around a leadoff hit but striking out the next three batters to finish the frame.

In Poche’s last 1-2/3 innings of work, the left-hander has given up just one hit and notched five strikeouts. His newfound offspeed pitch is bearing fruit, and none too soon.

The New What Next

Brendan McKay (1-1, 3.72 ERA) will get the start for Tampa Bay, pitching opposite of Andrew Cashner (10-5, 4.18 ERA).

Brendan McKay was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Wednesday. Through four big-league appearances, McKay owns a 3.72 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and an 18 K/BB across 19-1/3 innings. The left-hander said his biggest goal is to be more consistent … that he is aware of the challenge the Red Sox can present.

Very similar to a lot of teams you face up here. I faced the Yankees, and it’s very similar — one through nine you’re not essentially getting a break. You’re facing quality hitters the whole way through. And you’ve just got to be on from pitch one until however many pitches you throw. And hope whatever pitch you throw that may not make your spot to still be good enough to get a swing and miss or not as much damage as they can do.

— Brendan McKay

Andrew Cashner allowed three runs on 10 hits and a walk across 6-2/3 innings on Friday. He struck out six. While he wasn’t quite dominant, this was his first victory for Boston since joining the club right after the All-Star break. Cashner owns a 4.18 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 81 punchouts over 114 innings this season. He is 2-1 with a 4.03 ERA in five career starts against Tampa Bay. Key Matchups: Guillermo Heredia (2-8, 2B, 2 BB), Kevin Kiermaier (2-8), Austin Meadows (2-3, 2B), Tommy Pham (3-11, HR, 2 RBI), Joey Wendle (3-8, 3B, 2 RBI, BB)

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

TNWN: Rays vs Red Sox — a series preview, part five

Rays 8/1/19 Starting Lineup

    null
  1. Choi 1B
  2. Pham LF
  3. Meadows RF
  4. Duffy 3B
  5. Kiermaier CF
  6. Aguilar DH
  7. Sogard 2B
  8. Zunino C
  9. Adames SS

Noteworthiness

— After dropping six of 10 games following the All-Star Break, the Rays were able to finish the month strong, with a 14-12 record. Credit Travis d’Arnaud’s for helping the Rays stay afloat, as he drove in 25 runs in July, matching Aubrey Huff’s 2005 performance for most by a Ray in July, and the most in any month since Brad Miller had 26 and Evan Longoria 25 in August 2016.

— Expect reinforcements in the series finale. Jesus Aguilar and Nick Anderson, two of Tampa Bay’s deadline acquisitions (links 1, 2), have been added to the roster. Nate Lowe and Jose De Leon have been optioned to Durham to make room for the latest additions.

Meanwhile, the Rays sent RHP Trevor Richards, to Triple-A Durham so he can be stretched back out for starter/bulk duties. He had been used in short relief of late with Miami.