Flexibility in Rays Pen Could Help Them Weather Storm
Any team that has a pitcher like Pete Fairbanks is better off when he’s healthy. However, if there’s a club that could weather the loss of a reliever like Fairbanks, it’s the Rays.
One of the reasons the Rays are able to handle injuries in the bullpen is because there are not set roles. While Fairbanks pitched in high leverage, all pitchers with Tampa Bay are used to working in almost any inning and any leverage. Remember that the Rays had 14 different players save a game last year.
The Rays also are excellent at communicating to their players, especially their pitchers, as Kevin Cash emphasized on Wednesday.
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“I think it trickles year to year from the pitchers that have been here, have spent one season or multiple seasons, and they help with the message to the new guys,” said Cash. “We all work really hard to give that that we’re going to prioritize what we think is the best matchup in that game to win that game. That doesn’t always work but they embrace it as well as we can ever ask.”
They also have pitchers with great pure stuff. While Fairbanks may have the highest velocity fastball among the group, others got more swings and misses. Jeffrey Springs, JP Feyereisen and Andrew Kittredge all had higher swing and miss rates in 2021 than Fairbanks. Jalen Beeks was third on the club in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, behind only Fairbanks and Nick Anderson.
The Rays also have several pitchers returning from last year that have pitched in leverage moments, including JT Chargois, Feyereisen, Kittredge and Matt Wisler. That’s not including free agent additions Jason Adam and Brooks Raley, as well as four pitchers coming back from injury in Beeks, Colin Poche, Springs and Ryan Thompson. Kittredge, an All-Star last season, feels the group can still be successful in the pen.
“I think everyone knows what Pete’s capable of and what kind of contributor he is to the bullpen and the success that our bullpen’s had in the last couple years, so it’s a huge loss.,” said Kittredge. “At the same time, we have so many good guys that are going to step in and fill in the role in his absence. I’m excited for their opportunity. Really, really disappointed to hear about that for Pete, especially so close to the end of the spring when everyone’s getting excited. It’s just a really, really unfortunate thing to happen, and I hope that he recovers as quick as can be.”
The good is that Fairbanks and Anderson could both come back in the second half, almost giving the Rays what would feel like trade deadline acquisitions. In the meantime, Kittredge feels it’s a next man up mentality.
“That’s just kind of the nature of the bullpen,” Kittredge said. “Guys miss time, and someone’s got to step up. As much as it is a cliché, it’s a cliché for a reason. I think we’re well-equipped to have someone come in and fill his shoes. You’re not replacing Pete Fairbanks, but guys that are really good that are going to do what they do well to fill the void.”
