The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Tampa Bay Rays – INSIDE PITCH
Starting pitching has been the strength of the Rays for most of the season.
But recently it has become a weakness.
Injuries and inconsistent performances have turned the rotation upside down, with the Rays going into many more games with a question about their starter.
The latest issue involves Alex Cobb, who was lucky to escape more serious injury when struck on the right side of the head in a game Saturday, but nevertheless was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list and could be out longer.
The same day, the Rays had to push back the projected return of left-handed ace David Price, who has been out since mid-May with a triceps strain but had shown enough improvement, they were considering a late-June return. But after Price experienced soreness following a simulated game this past Thursday, his rehab assignment will be delayed at least a few days.
Meanwhile, left-hander Matt Moore and right-hander Jeremy Hellickson have been struggling immensely.
After winning his first eight decisions, Moore has been a mess, unable to throw strikes with any consistency.
And Hellickson, who as the No. 2 starter was expected to step up in Price’s absence, instead has regressed, unable to finish off batters or innings — his numbers with two strikes and two outs are bad.
And veteran right-hander Roberto Hernandez has been extremely inconsistent, falling short of being the innings eater they were expecting when signing him.
“It’s very difficult,” Maddon said. “We can talk about our offense all we want, but until we start pitching like we can, it’s going to be tough to get on a nice roll. We have to pitch a lot better to get to the spot where we want to this year.”
After boasting during spring training and early in the season of the starting pitching depth they had, the Rays have tapped into all of it, as Chris Archer, Alex Torres, Alex Colome and Jake Odorizzi have all pitched for them already, with Archer and Torres having extended stints.
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MLB Team Report – Tampa Bay Rays – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 36-33
STREAK: Lost one
PAST 10 GAMES: 4-6
NEXT: Doubleheader — Rays (Chris Archer, 1-2, 4.80) at Red Sox (Felix Doubront, 4-3, 4.91); Rays (Alex Colome, 1-0, 0.00) at Red Sox (Alfredo Aceves,3-1, 5.58)
PLAYER NOTES:
–RHP Alex Cobb was released from the hospital Sunday, one day after getting struck in the right ear with a line drive by Royals 1B Eric Hosmer on Saturday. Cobb suffered a mild concussion, but all other tests came back normal. He was placed on the seven-day disabled list, and there’s no timetable for his return.
–RHP Josh Lueke was called up Triple-A Durham to take the roster spot of RHP Alex Cobb, who was injured Saturday. In nine games out of the bullpen earlier this season, Lueke has a 3.72 ERA.
–LHP David Price says it’s not a “setback,” but soreness he experienced Saturday has at least delayed the schedule manager Joe Maddon discussed for his minor league rehab assignment. Maddon said Price, out since mid-May with a left triceps strain, was “exceeding expectations” after Thursday’s 54-pitch simulated game, suggesting Tuesday as a possibility to make his first rehab start. But after Price said his “entire arm was sore” after Saturday’s bullpen session, the Rays had him just play catch Sunday and Monday before throwing another bullpen Tuesday. “When you’re on the DL and doing rehab, nothing’s ever set in stone,” Price said. “They want to take it day-by-day and make sure you don’t have any setbacks.
–OF Wil Myers, the prized prospect in the offseason trade with the Kansas City Royals, will get his much-anticipated opportunity, getting called up after Sunday’s game. He’ll join the team in Boston on Tuesday to start a seven-game road trip against the Red Sox and Yankees, with executive VP Andrew Friedman saying he’ll “inject” another bat against right-handed pitching. Friedman said all along that when Myers — last year’s minor league player of the year and one of the game’s top prospects — proved he was ready, they’d “auger” a spot for him on the roster. And that’s what they did, noticing how much he’s improved, both in plate discipline and defensively in right field. Manager Joe Maddon said he’ll play a lot, mostly in right field, and they’ll try to “ease” the pressure by hitting him lower in the lineup.
–RHP Roberto Hernandez picked up the loss after getting charged with four runs in 5 2/3 innings. He said he made only a few mistakes, a solo homer to Jeff Francoeur and the go-ahead single to Alcides Escobar. “Maybe not as sharp as the last couple have been,” manager Joe Maddon said. “But I thought he was good enough to win.”
–INF Ryan Roberts was optioned to Triple-A Durham, clearing a roster spot for the arrival of OF Wil Myers. Roberts, 32, hit .238/.294/.349 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 47 games for the Rays this season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s no fun. We should be better than that at home. We had plenty of opportunities to win more games. We have to be more consistent. There’s no consistency to all areas of the game on a nightly basis.” — Manager Joe Maddon after a loss Sunday to Kansas City.
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MLB Team Report – Tampa Bay Rays – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Alex Cobb (concussion) went on the seven-day disabled list June 16. There’s no timetable for his return.
–LHP David Price (left triceps strain) went on the 15-day disabled list May 16 and, though he was eligible to return on May 31, is now looking at an early July return. Price had been progressing well since he started throwing May 27, advancing through long toss, bullpen sessions and a June 13 simulated game that went well. He felt soreness while throwing June 15, however and will throw a bullpen session June 18.
–RHP Brandon Gomes (right lat strain) went on the 15-day disabled list May 10 (retroactive to May 8), was feeling better by early June, and threw his first bullpen session June 16. He will throw two more and then head out on a 7-10 day minor league rehab assignment.
–RHP Jeff Niemann (sore right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 28, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 16. He had season-ending surgery April 10 to repair his rotator cuff and labrum. The expected recovery time is nine-to-12 months.
–RHP Juan Carlos Oviedo (Tommy John surgery in September 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list on March 31. He is spending most of the season rehabbing his elbow, throwing his first bullpen session June 16, with the possibility he could help the Rays in September.
ROTATION:
RHP Jeremy Hellickson
RHP Roberto Hernandez
LHP Matt Moore
RHP Chris Archer
BULLPEN:
RHP Fernando Rodney (closer)
RHP Joel Peralta
LHP Jake McGee
RHP Kyle Farnsworth
LHP Cesar Ramos
RHP Jamey Wright
LHP Alex Torres
RHP Josh Lueke
CATCHERS:
Jose Molina
Jose Lobaton
INFIELDERS:
1B James Loney
2B Kelly Johnson
SS Yunel Escobar
3B Evan Longoria
DH Luke Scott
INF/OF Sean Rodriguez
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Sam Fuld
CF Desmond Jennings
RF Ben Zobrist
OF Matt Joyce
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