What was once a strength for the Tampa Bay Rays is now a weakness 17 games into the season.
The Rays are 9-8, and the starting pitching has not been as good as advertised. Sure, we knew the rotation would struggle with only three legitimate starters and rookie Ryan Pepiot, who is trying to show that he belongs at the big-league level.
But the 28th-worst pitching in the league with a 5.17 ERA is not what Rays fans had in mind to start the season.
The Big Three of Eflin, Civale, and Littell Have Been Decent
Zach Eflin has been decent despite the opening-day start against Texas, going 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA, two walks, and 20 strikeouts.
Eflin left the game Monday night against the Los Angeles Angels with a 1-0 lead in the seventh, as Kevin Cash went to the bullpen, and somehow, the Rays lost 9-4.
Aaron Civale has been excellent, with a 2-1 record and a 2.12 ERA. From a pure numbers standpoint, Zack Littell has been the best pitcher on this team early in the season, with a 1-0 record and a 1.17 ERA.
It looks like Ryan Pepiot will have a season similar to what Taj Bradley put forth last season. He has struggled in a couple of outings but had the best outing of any Rays starter on the road in Colorado, going six innings with 11 strikeouts and allowing just three hits.
Overall, though, Pepiot is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA but does lead the team with 20 strikeouts.
The Rays have struggled to find someone to hold down the number five spot in the rotation effectively.
Tyler Alexander and Jacob Waguespeck aren’t the answer, but the Rays may have to whether the storm until Taj Bradley returns to the rotation in early May.
Rays Bullpen is the Second Worst in Baseball
The bullpen has been a major disappointment so far this season. Outside of Jason Adam, who has not walked a batter this season and has a 2.45 ERA, there is no one pitching close to the expectations we had of the bullpen this season.
Everyone talked about the bullpen being the strength of this Rays team, but after 15 games, they are the biggest weakness on this team.
What is perplexing is these are the same guys the Rays had in the bullpen last year, which was a strength of this team in 2023.
The Rays bullpen is known for its pinpoint control, yet this season, the pen collectively has walked 30 batters in 43 innings.
Closer Pete Fairbanks has struggled all season and imploded in the fourth game, walking three straight batters against Colorado before giving way to Jason Adam.
Fairbanks is a hard thrower, but this season, you don’t know where the ball will end up when Fairbanks is on the mound. Fairbanks is 0-1 with three saves, six walks, and a 9.00 ERA.
The Rays signed Pat Maton this off-season to bolster the back end of the bullpen, but he has struggled to find his rhythm this season. In five innings of work, Maton has walked seven, has five strikeouts, and a 12.00 ERA.
On Monday night, Maton came in to work the eighth inning and was lit up like a Christmas tree, giving up five runs on five hits, taking the loss in the 7-3 Angels win.
Bullpen Must Be More Efficient
Manager Kevin Cash says it comes down to one thing: to improve the bullpen’s efficiency. “Overall, we have to start throwing strikes. I think our entire group is capable of throwing more strikes.”
In an 11-2 loss to the Giants on Saturday afternoon, the Rays pitching staff gave up five home runs. Chris Devinski gave up six runs in two innings before Kevin Cash elected to save the bullpen and pitch catcher Ben Rortveldt the last two innings.
Cash knows this team needs to be better in all aspects of the game, not just the bullpen. “We have to get going, there’s no doubt. Don’t feel like we are playing our best baseball by any stretch right now.”
That especially rings true for the bullpen.