My Two Cents: For Rays Reliever Andrew Kittredge, Short-Term Memory is Wonderful Thing

Despite the fact that he blew two saves earlier in the week, Tampa Bay reliever Andrew Kittredge was terrific this weekend against Toronto, picking up a win and a save and pitching great in stressful situations. Quickly forgetting past results, good or bad, is the key for the veteran closer.

Tom Brew | May 16, 2022

My Two Cents: For Rays Reliever Andrew Kittredge, Short-Term Memory is Wonderful Thing /

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Andrew Kittredge's work day was done. A double play and a fly ball in the ninth inning, and he had himself another save, his fifth of the season, in Tampa Bay's series-clinching 3-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

He was the winning pitcher on Friday, too, striking out Bo Bichette and getting All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to hit into a double play with two men on in a tense eighth inning. Those two great outings came after blowing saves twice earlier in the week, on Wednesday against the Angels and last Sunday at Seattle, when one pitch meant the difference in closing out games.

The highs and lows of being a closer.

I strolled up to Kittredge at his locker on Sunday after the win over the Jays. I hadn't had a chance to talk to him since last Sunday in a postgame setting.

"Well, you've had quite a week,'' I said. Kittredge laughed.

"Honestly, it's funny that you mention that, because I guess you're right, but I never think about it that way,'' Kittredge said. "When Sergio Romo was here, he had been a reliever for a long time, and we had a conversation. He said one of the best attributes you can have is just show up and be the same guy every day.

"I just kind of take that same approach every day, whether you're rolling or struggling. When you can do that, it takes a lot of the pressure off of you. It translates to the field when you get beat, because you can dust it off and get ready for the next day. I just focus on that day, because whatever happened the day before — or the week before — doesn't really matter anymore.''

Kittredge has been very good all year, with just a few hiccups. In the Rays' talented and versatile bullpen, he's the guy that Kevin Cash relies on heavily to get through the biggest moments.

Closing out Sunday's win over their AL East rivals was a big deal, as was coming in during that do-or-die moment on Friday, where the Jays had just tied the game 2-2 and Kittredge stepped on the mound with two on, and no one out in the eighth. But with just seven pitches, he struck out Bichette and got that double play ball from Guerrero, two of the scariest hitters in the game. The Rays scored three runs in the bottom of the inning, and Kittredge got the win, his third of the year.

Cash had no issue with turning to Kittredge in that moment ''because even the biggest moments never get too big for him,'' Cash said. And any concern over two straight blown saves?

"Never. He's been really good all year, and he's going to move right on to the next one. That's what makes Kitt, Kitt.''

The two blown saves were tough, because Kittredge had been so good, allowing just two runs in his first 12 1/3 innings. But last Sunday in Seattle, in front of several dozens friends and family members, he rolled through the eighth and got the first out in the ninth in a tight game where the Rays were leading 1-0. But he hung a slider to Abraham Toro, and he homered to tie the game. Seattle won in 10 innings, snapping the Rays' six-game winning streak.

Kittredge got six outs on just 17 pitches that day, and was filthy. ''Every pitch but one, I threw them all exactly how I wanted. But sometimes going 16 for 17 isn't enough.''

On Wednesday, he came in after Shane McClanahan had pitched seven scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels, but he gave up a two-run homer to Taylor Ward that tied the game in the eighth inning. The Rays won in 10, but the homer still hurt.

But there was also no carryover. It was on to the next game, and that meant two great performances this weekend against Toronto.

"Tonight, the results were pretty good, but I didn't feel as good as those other outings (in Seattle and Anaheim),'' said Kittredge, the 32-year-old Spokane, Wash. native who's been with the Rays since 2017. "When you do everything consistently, it helps with all of that, the highs and the lows. That's what I'm trying to do, be consistent every day.

"Anytime you struggle, it wears on your mind and you want to get right back out there as quick as you can to have a good one. I do a better job of it now than I used to. When I come in the door, it's like yesterday didn't happen. I got a save tonight, and when I come in tomorrow, I can't expect that to just happen. I've got to put in the work the next day, too.''

J.P. Feyereisen's locker is right next to Kittredge, and the two relievers talk often. He's been great all year himself — he's allowed only three hits and no runs in 17 innings of work — and might arguably be Tampa Bay's best pitcher so far this season.

He knows how this works in Tampa Bay, where every pitcher can be called upon at any time, regardless of any previous result, or any current situation, no matter how stressful. And they all feed off of each other.

"We love to play in close games. It's the favorite thing we like to do.'' Feyereisen said. "Look at Kitt, last year he pitched in every inning, the first through the 11th. He's our All-Star. When guys can throw any inning and have confidence in every situation, we all have that belief that we'll get things done. That's the kind of bullpen we have.''

The Rays are 21-14 now, in second place behind the New York Yankees in the AL East, and they are now three games ahead of the Blue Jays, who were preseason division favorites.

Getting a series win against them was good. Tampa Bay is 7-2 so far against AL East rivals this year, and they are a little sweeter than your average win.

"Any time you win, it's great. That's our goal. But the teams you see all the time, the teams you battle in our division, yeah, it's always a little sweeter,'' Kittredge said. "They are a really good team, and because we see them so much, we know how good they are. They have a lot of great hitters, so to be able to shut them out, that's a little more special.''

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