My Two Cents: Once Again, Rays' Injury-Riddled Bullpen Getting Put to the Test

Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks is back on the injured list again, this time for 15 days with a hip injury. As they always do, the Rays turn to their next man up philosophy, which isn't always easy this year as the bullpen gets worn down. They're in for a real test now.

CHICAGO — For the better part of a month now, most every call to Tampa Bay  bullpen has been met with a lot of nervousness and anxiety. The Rays might have the best record in baseball, but getting to the finish line has been a real adventure a lot of nights.

The arm that manager Kevin Cash has trusted the most is closer Pete Fairbanks. In 13 appearances so far this season, and been touched for runs just once. And that comes after pitching 22 consecutive scoreless innings to end last season.

But on Sunday as Fairbanks was warming up to pitch the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers, his hip tightened up and he wasn't able to go. Jason Adam, who had pitched a scoreless eighth inning with just one walk allowed, was forced to go back out and finish the job. He retired the side in order with two strikeouts and a pop up that he caught to end the game, giving the Rays an 11-10 win.

The bad news came Monday morning here in Chicago, where the Rays announced that Fairbanks was going on the injured list for a minimum of 15 days. They don't know the severity of the hip injury yet — the imaging will be done on Tuesday — but for now it's next man up.  

"I texted with him this morning and he said he was better today than he was leaving the ballpark yesterday. He's still sore, though,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said before Monday's game with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. "Unfortunately because of the holidays, it was a little tough to get everything done with all the imaging we want done. That will be done on Tuesday and then we'll have a better idea of what's going on.''

It's another big blow for the Rays, who have dealt with a lot of injuries to its pitching staff all year — but keep winning at a record pace anywhere. Starter Jeffrey Springs (elbow) is out for the year, and fellow starter Drew Rasmussen is shut down for at least a couple of month with arm issues. Relievers Shawn Armstong and Andrew Kittredge haven't pitched at all this year yet, although Cash said Armstrong is getting close. Kittredge, who had Tommy John surgery last summer, is more than likely looking at an August return.

For now, Adam will slide into that closer's role again. He threw 37 pitches Sunday and will need at least one day off. Then it's his job for a while, at least until the oft-injured Fairbanks can return.

"Look, we're not going to replace Pete. He's really, really good at what he does at the back end of the bullpen,'' Cash said. "When he's right and he's healthy, he's pretty special. But we feel like we do have some guys who can help, and if we can keep hitting like we have been, that will help, too.

"Jason did step up for us huge for us (Sunday). After the game I said it looked like his best stuff. Looking back it was. That was really encouraging. We just need to keep him in that sweet some and get those high-leverage outs that we need.''

Armstrong pitched 55 pretty good innings a year ago and wore a lot of different hats in the Rays bullpen. He's been missed this year, for sure.

''What we saw from Shawn last year is if he's right, he was a big weapon in our bullpen,'' Cash said. "He can get lefties and righties out, and he's a guy who can go two or three innings.''

With Fairbanks gone, everybody moves up a spot. Adam, who was terrific a year ago, has been a little shaky this season. He's allowed three home runs, and two led directly to ninth-inning comebacks by the New York Yankees on May 12 and to the New York Mets on May 17. That, ironically, was the same game where Fairbanks got lit up, Adam giving up a homer to tie it in the ninth and Fairbanks giving up a homer in the 10th for the loss.

Adam, who will be 32 in August, has been pitching in the big leagues since 2018 and he's great at moving on from adversity. He also has seven saves this season and Cash's confidence in his has never wavered.

Adam hasn't wavered, either.

"I think we're all really good at looking at the big picture here,'' Adam said. "You look at the bad outings, and you look at what was bad, what was good and what just didn't work out in your favor. (Pitching coach Kyle Snyder) is good about that. Where do you need to make adjustments, or is it about just throwing strikes and being true to what we do.

"I need to have that late life, late explosion and miss barrels. The home runs, it's a small sample size obviously, but it's more about keeping that fastball up and those breaking balls down. Sometime you miss by an inch or two, and good hitters will make you pay.''

Adam said he felt  "surprisingly good,'' after his 37-pitch outing. "I had a good night's sleep and felt good when I woke up this morning. I can't go (Monday) but we can do it again (Tuesday).

The next man up on the roster is Trevor Kelley, who knows all about the Durham-to- Tampa shuttle. He's been part of the arm shuffle that seems to go on just about every day in order to keep a fresh arm or two in the bullpen.

He was sent out on Sunday and before he could even get to Durham, he was summoned back to meet the team in Chicago.

"Yeah, I woke up early in Tampa on Sunday and flew to Charlotte and then Myrtle Beach and went home (to Wilmington, N.C.) and slept in my own bed,'' said Kelley, who replaced Bradley in the sixth inning. "I was at home maybe 12 hours and turned right about around and flew here this morning. Hop in the tub and get stretched out, get something to eat and I'll be ready to go.''

Next man up indeed. 

I have plenty of faith in Adam, I really do. He was great Sunday and he'll get dialed in. We're going to see more high-leverage moments for lefties Colin Poche and Jalen Beeks, and that might be a little scary. They've both been up and down.

Each day likely will bring new adventures.

Monday was that way. Kelley got the final out in the sixth when he came in, and rookie Joe La Sorsa, making his MLB debut, pitched a 1-2-3 seventh and did the same in the eighth

They needed it to stay engaged in this one, because Cubs starter Marcus Stroman was mowing down Cubs hitters, pitching a complete game one-hitter in the 1-0 Chicago win.

All the other relievers got rest, so the Rays should be back to full strength in the pen when the two teams get together again on Tuesday night. The bullpen is the one concerning spot on this team right now, so how they hold up Fairbanks's absence is going to be very interesting to watch.

Related stories on Rays-Cubs

• STROMAN THROWS 1-HITTER: The Tampa Bay Rays rolled into Chicago with the best record and the hottest offense in baseball, but Cubs starter Marcus Stroman held them to just one hit in a 1-0 complete game victory on Monday at Wrigley Field. It snapped the Cubs' four-game losing streak. CLICK HERE
• MASTROBUONI FACES FORMER TEAM: Miles Mastrobuoni was the starting third baseman for the Chicago Cubs on Monday when they beat the Tampa Bay Rays. The former Rays minor-leaguer who playing eight games in the majors a year ago, said it ''was weird'' to face Taj Bradley, one of his best friends, on the mound. The Cubs won 1-0, and Mastrobuoni went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. 
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