The Rays’ rotation finally looked whole for a moment, and then it wasn’t.
Tampa Bay had Griffin Jax in line to start against the New York Mets, then watched Shane McClanahan work five innings against the Texas Rangers in a loss before another injury hit. This time, McClanahan is dealing with left forearm tightness, which is a far more troubling turn after the mid-back soreness that previously sent him to the injured list.
That’s the bad news. The better news for Tampa Bay is that Freddy Peralta is starting to look like the kind of arm that can soften the blow.
Peralta arrived from the Mets before the MLB trade deadline with plenty to prove. His numbers in Queens were rough - a 4.99 ERA and negative bWAR - but the Rays clearly believed they could get him back on track. That belief made sense, given what he was last year: an All-Star, the NL leader with 17 wins, and a pitcher who posted a 5.5 bWAR.
It took some time, and some work from Tampa Bay’s coaching staff, but the results are beginning to show. In the opener of a three-game road series against the Atlanta Braves, a matchup that could be a World Series preview, Peralta delivered exactly what the Rays needed.
He worked six innings, gave up one earned run on five hits and one walk, and struck out two. More importantly, he kept the ball in the zone. Peralta threw 59 of his 92 pitches for strikes, a sign that the mechanical adjustments are starting to stick.
This wasn’t a one-night spike, either. It marked the third straight start in which Peralta has looked much closer to his All-Star version, and the third straight outing in which he’s gone at least six innings while allowing one run or fewer. For a team that has leaned on its bullpen and needed stability behind its top arms, that matters.
The turnaround comes after a rough stretch that had pushed him out of the conversation for a playoff rotation spot. In his first four outings, Peralta posted a 7.17 ERA over 21.1 innings, allowing 17 earned runs on 23 hits and six walks while surrendering five home runs. He struggled at Colorado, at Oakland, and twice against Baltimore, home and away.
Now the shape of the Rays’ staff looks different. Losing McClanahan still stings, but if Peralta keeps pitching like this, Tampa Bay has another starter who can hold the line behind Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez.
In Other News...
Rays Suddenly Have A Shortstop Problem They Must Solve Fast
Taylor Walls landing on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Sept. 6 leaves the Rays with a sudden question at one of the sports most demanding positions, and they moved quickly to address it. Tampa Bay selected infielder Nick Madrigal from Triple-A Durham to fill the roster spot, turning to a player with major league experience who has spent most of his time at second and third base.
Madrigal is expected to help the Rays defensively while Walls recovers from a right hip flexor strain, but the larger issue is how long Tampa Bay will need to keep patching the middle infield. The club has survived plenty of shuffling this season, yet losing a regular shortstop even briefly can change the look of an infield in a hurry, and the next few days should reveal how comfortably the Rays can absorb it. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Farm Report Shows Which Prospects Are Forcing The Issue
The 22nd week of minor league action offered another snapshot of just how much talent is pushing through the Rays system, and the name at the top of the list is Theo Gillen. FanGraphs currently has Gillen as the organizations best prospect, with Caden Bodine also sitting near the top of the rankings, while Aidan Cremarosa remains the clubs leading pitching prospect even after missing time with injury. For a farm system built around depth and constant churn, those are the kinds of names that keep the pipeline looking healthy.
Elsewhere in the system, there were smaller signs of momentum worth watching. Ryan Cermak has put together a recent hitting streak, Austin Slater is back in the fold after re-signing, and Jadher Areinamo earned a move to Triple-A after coming back from injury. None of those developments carries the same headline value as the top-tier prospect chatter, but together they show a system with players at different stages all trying to force their way into the next conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Face A Different Braves Plan For One Key Young Bat
The Braves have given their batting order a fresh look for this series against the Rays, and it starts with Drake Baldwin in a very different spot. After opening games at the top of the lineup, Baldwin has been moved to cleanup, a role he has not held since July 11, as Atlanta tries to shake off a rough series against the Phillies and reset its attack.
Manager Walt Weiss also pushed Michael Harris II into the leadoff role, with Ronald Acua Jr. and Matt Olson batting in front of Baldwin. For Tampa Bay, the change matters because it alters the way the middle of Atlantas order can set the tone, turning one of the Braves younger bats into a run-producing focal point rather than an early table-setter. [Read more 🡒]