Rays reliever admits he smashed Twins’ ‘IKEA stool’ in fit of rage

"Look, let's just say that I owe the Minnesota Twins visiting cage a new IKEA stool."

Jun 18, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks (29) leaves the game against the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Twins will probably be billing the Tampa Bay Rays for a new stool for the visiting team's batting cage after Thursday's game.

With a 6-3 lead and two outs with two runners on base, Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks was tasked with getting the last out of the game against Jose Miranda. Trailing 2-1 in the count, Miranda proceeded to launch a game-tying, three-run home run over the left field wall off an 83 mph hanging slider over the middle of the plate.

Fairbanks quickly rebounded, getting Twins slugger Royce Lewis to fly out to center to wrap up the ninth inning. He returned the following inning, with a one-run lead, to secure Tampa's 7-6 win – and he needed just 11 pitches to close the 10th inning.

In the postgame locker room scrum, Fairbanks admitted to letting out some destructive frustration in between the ninth and tenth innings.

"Look, let's just say that I owe the Minnesota Twins' visiting cage a new IKEA stool," Fairbanks said. "Not barstool height, but like one of the mini ones kids use. It's non-existent anymore. You know, sometimes you gotta get it all out to go out there and put up another zero."

"Well, I made him look really bad on two of them, and then he looked really good on the worst one of the four that I threw," Fairbanks said of his sliders to Miranda. "You know, just I put it in the spot that you don't want to put it. He didn't miss it, so hats off to him. You know, I absolutely destroyed a few things in the cage and then regrouped and we got it done. I'll take a win."

Pete Fairbanks adds another stellar interview to his montage reel.

"I owe the Minnesota Twins visiting cage a new Ikea stool." pic.twitter.com/gAgAbhqN8T

— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) June 20, 2024