The Tampa Bay Rays are witnessing positive developments in the rehabilitation of two of their pitchers. Shane Baz and Jeffrey Springs are both concluding their rehab periods, with Baz pitching for Triple-A Durham and Springs for the Rays’ rookie-level team in the Florida Complex League. Rays manager Kevin Cash mentioned that Springs expressed satisfaction after his initial rehab outing. Baz has been making consecutive starts since commencing his assignment on May 4. It’s probable that the Rays will aim for Baz to have one more start before reintegrating into the rotation.
Shane Baz and Jeffrey Springs are making strides in their rehabilitation outings.
Baz has been sidelined for the entire season due to his ongoing recovery from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in July 2022. Following his MLB debut in 2021, where he made three starts for the Rays towards the end of the season and earned a spot in the postseason rotation during the American League Division Series, he logged only 27 innings across six starts. Currently, the 24-year-old has participated in four Triple-A games as part of his rehabilitation process, tallying a 6.00 ERA with eight strikeouts and 11 walks over 12 innings.
He will continue to train with During until he achieves full recovery. There’s a strong likelihood that he will make significant contributions to the Rays’ pitching roster once he’s fully back in action.
Springs only pitches one inning during initial rehab outing.
Springs, who’s recuperating from elbow surgery, gave up one earned run on three hits and secured strikeouts in a solitary inning. This marked his initial game appearance since his surgery back in April 2023. Cash mentioned that Springs is slated for one additional rehab appearance with the Rays’ FCL affiliate before advancing to Triple-A.
His pitch count and innings will gradually rise as he gains more outings in the minors. It’s anticipated that he’ll be back from the 60-day injured list by late June.
Rays Rotation for 2024
The health of Tampa Bay’s rotation remains a consistent worry this season. While Baz and Springs are nearing a return, McClanahan and Rasmussen are still sidelined due to elbow surgeries from the previous year. Additionally, Eflin is sidelined for the next two to four weeks due to a lower back injury. Despite these setbacks, Pepiot recently made his comeback from a leg injury, starting his first game on Wednesday. Bradley returned two weeks ago, but his performance hasn’t matched expectations, as evidenced by his 5.59 ERA last season with a 28 percent strikeout rate.
The current rotation, featuring Bradley and Pepiot, is rounded out by Tyler Alexander, Zack Littell, and Aaron Civale. Bradley delivered a standout performance on Tuesday, pitching a career-best seven innings. However, Civale’s season has been marred by inconsistency, having allowed five or more runs in four outings and maintaining a winless record with an 8.48 ERA across 32 2/3 innings, along with a 26:12 K:BB ratio. Littell, though not surpassing six innings in any game this season, has maintained a respectable 3.42 ERA and a 1.253 WHIP over 10 appearances. Alexander came tantalizingly close to pitching a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays, allowing no hits until he was just five batters away from history. Despite this near-miss, he carries a 5.17 ERA and a 37:12 K:BB ratio through 47 innings pitched.
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