The Tampa Bay Rays have received plenty of press for their “opener” on staff. They may have found their best one after Friday night.
The Tampa Bay Rays have had plenty of success using their opener strategy in the pitching staff. With injuries and the recent Chris Archer trade, it seems the entire rotation is made of guys best used in 2-3 inning spurts at maximum. It’s hard to have a better open than what Ryne Stanek did on Friday night, however.
Ryne Stanek is a guy who has been in the Rays system since he was a first round pick in 2013 out of the University of Arkansas. Stanek was a starter his first two years in the minors, but he moved to the bullpen in 2016, and bounced between the majors and minors in a pure bullpen role in 2017.
In 2018, he’s found a very different role after originally opening the season in AAA. Once he got to the majors, he’s been tremendous in a multi-inning role for the team, especially as an opener. In the majors this season, Stanek had tallied a 2.36 ERA over 35 games, 16 of them starting the game as an opener, tossing 42 innings, with a 1.05 WHIP and a 19/51 BB/K ratio.
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His splits show that when he’s been the opener, he’s pitched to a better ERA and better strikeout rate than when he has pitched as a true reliever. That was before Friday, when he opened the Rays game against the White Sox with 1 2/3 innings pitched.
What was unique in those 1 2/3 innings pitched? Stanek recorded every single out by strikeout! He didn’t allow a walk and didn’t allow a hit, just dominated the first White Sox hitters, striking out each of the first five on just 23 pitches total.
While some may not be fans of the different style that the Tampa Bay Rays are employing this season, if those innovative methods allow us incredible performances like Ryne Stanek gave on Friday, I’m all for it!