Rays’ Pete Fairbanks says pitch clock is a factor in pitcher injuries
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Pete Fairbanks has seen up close the significant impact pitching injuries can have on a team, as the Rays last year lost three of their top starters to elbow issues that required major surgery.
With big-name pitchers continuing to go down this season, the Rays’ player rep sided with union leader Tony Clark’s recent statement blaming the impact of the implementation of the pitch clock in 2023 and further reduction this season to the time between pitches with runners on base.
Specifically, Fairbanks cited (as did Clark) Major League Baseball’s unwillingness to acknowledge and further look into the effect of the reduction in recovery time.
“Making the game faster is fine, but not being willing to entertain the adverse effect that that might have on half of your player population is wrong,” Fairbanks said.
“To just say point blank that either, one, we don’t care or, two, we’re not willing is basically what it seems like is coming from them.”
MLB responded to Clark’s statement by citing a study that found “no evidence” of impact from the pitch clock and blaming “velocity and spin increases” over the long term, saying it is doing research into that.
“To shorten somebody’s rest to a point where they feel like they’re hurried in any capacity comparatively to what they have done in the past and then to not expect some sort of repercussion, what are we doing?” Fairbanks said, noting players were opposed to the changes.
Alexander to bereavement list, Kelly returns
Lefty Tyler Alexander was placed on the bereavement list, with the Rays expecting him to return in time for Friday’s game when he is slated to start or follow an opener vs. the Giants. The team said Alexander’s situation was a private matter.
To replace Alexander, the Rays called up reliever Kevin Kelly, who spent all of last season with them as a Rule 5 pick, going 5-2, 3.09 in 57 appearances, second most on the team. In four games for Triple-A Durham this season, he allowed four hits and an unearned run and struck out six in 3 2/3 innings over four games.
Kelly was one of the last spring cuts as they gave the final pitching spots to Alexander and Jacob Waguespack.
“Excited to have (Kelly) back,” Cash said. “Kevin was so big to our bullpen last year. Certainly a tough decision there at the end of spring training, but we know him very well. He knows us very well. It’s nice to have him to where he can kind of come in and complement the rest of the bullpen.”
Kelly said took his demotion as the result of mostly the “numbers game” and was working on “some mechanical things, nothing too big really.”
Catching on
Ben Rortvedt knew he had a lot of catching up to do after being acquired by the Rays from the Yankees the day before the season started.
The 26-year-old has impressed his new team with his effort to do so, such as catching pregame bullpen sessions to familiarize himself with pitchers’ repertoires and preferences, as well as his play behind the plate.
But also with the quality of his at-bats, with the added benefit of being a lefty swinger to help balance the lineup.
So much so that Rortvedt has started five of the Rays’ first 11 games, with projected frontline catcher Rene Pinto the other six.
“He certainly has (impressed),” Cash said. “He’s had clutch hits, really big at-bats. His at-bat (in Saturday’s five-run eighth inning at Colorado) to get the walk off Jalen Beeks, that was as big as any of them, to not expand, not try to do too much. Very professional at-bats. Just want to see that continue. And he’s earning his way to get some opportunities in here in our lineup.”
Rortvedt is thrilled with the chance to help.
“I’m really grateful to be here,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for me, obviously, but more importantly I’m just trying to help the team win.”
Miscellany
Shortstop Jose Caballero singled in the second inning Tuesday to extend his season-opening on-base streak to 10 games, a career high for any point of a season. … Facing a lefty starter again Tuesday, the Rays used the same lineup for two straight games, a rarity under Cash. ... Alex Jackson hit three homers as Triple-A Durham blasted Lehigh Valley (28-10); Niko Goodrum, Logan Driscoll, Osleivis Basabe and Ruben Cardenas also homered for Bulls. The 28 runs were a Durham record as a Triple-A team (since 1998). ... The Rays are expected to have an announcement Wednesday or Thursday on the status of pitcher Jake Odorizzi, who was trying to get back to the majors after missing 2023 recovering from shoulder surgery but left Sunday’s start at Durham in the second inning. ... The Rays and Angels will continue to see plenty of each other, as they wrap up a three-game series in Anaheim on Wednesday, then play four games at Tropicana Field starting Monday.
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