Rays’ Pete Fairbanks encouraged, but still looking for answers
ST. PETERSBURG — Pete Fairbanks is encouraged that doctors so far have found nothing structurally wrong with his arm, shoulder or hand.
The Rays closer said Tuesday night that the “nerve-related issue” that put him on the 15-day injured list is “manageable,” but the medical team still has to find the right “cocktail” to get him back on the mound.
“We’re going through some more tests, hopefully in the next few days to try and figure it out,” Fairbanks said after the Rays’ 4-2 loss to the Tigers at Tropicana Field. “Structurally, everything is good, obviously. But you know, when it comes to the interplay between your fascia (the connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles and nerves) or the muscles and the nerves, there’s some things that still need to be figured out.”
Fairbanks described the sensation as if his hand was suddenly asleep.
“It’s like somebody forced me to do it instantaneous, like, pins and needles,” Fairbanks said of the sensation he felt Saturday while throwing. “It took a little bit to go away. And then, you know, it’s still been not necessarily perfect since then.”
Fairbanks said it was unrelated to the Raynaud’s syndrome he previously had been diagnosed with, which has symptoms like numbness that commonly flare up in colder weather.
Fairbanks missed all three games in New York last weekend and went on the injured list Monday, when manager Kevin Cash said it was time to figure out what was happening. He has allowed seven earned runs over seven innings pitched for a 9.00 ERA.
Talking trash
The trash-talking began almost a week ago. When it became clear that Tyler Alexander’s turn in the Rays rotation would come up during this week’s series against the Tigers, his former teammates started sending comments.
“They started texting before my last start. I told them to hold off I wanted to get through New York before I focused on trash-talking with them,” Alexander said.
The left-hander will take the mound as the bulk reliever behind Shawn Armstrong for the series finale Wednesday night and, all kidding aside, he was very happy to see his former teammates.
“I’m still really good friends with their entire pitching staff. the pitching coach a lot of the staff, the bullpen coach, and everybody so it’s good to see them,” Alexander said. “We text all the time.”
Alexander was drafted by the Tigers in the 23rd round of the 2013 draft. He played parts of five seasons with Detroit, going 11-23 with a 4.38 ERA, before the Rays claimed him off waivers this winter.
So Wednesday will be the first time he has to face some of his closest friends in the game. In particular his former catcher.
“Jake Rodgers. He’s been my catcher since Double-A,” Alexander said. “I’ve only had spring training (at-bats) against him, which we don’t take seriously. So it’s, it’s gonna be interesting seeing us both trying to take it seriously tomorrow.”
Alexander is 1-0 with a 4.79 ERA in four appearances, including two starts.
Miscellany
Jose Siri, who was a defensive substitution in the eighth inning, struck out in his only at-bat. He has struck out at least once in 15 straight games and leads the majors with 38 strikeouts. .. Amed Rosario, who was lifted in the eighth for Siri’s defense, had his career-high 14-game hitting streak snapped, going 0-for-3. … Jose Caballero swiped his team-leading eighth stolen base.
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