Tampa Bay Rays defied the odds in 2018 – will that continue?
By David Hill
Tampa Bay Rays unique approach to the rotation works wonders
Sometimes, innovation is borne of necessity. That was the case with the Tampa Bay Rays last season.
The Rays entered the year missing several starters. Nathan Eovaldi missed the start of the year. Jose De Leon and Brent Honeywell both required Tommy John surgery. The Rays entered the year with only three actual starters in the rotation.
While Blake Snell put together a breakout performance, leading the AL in wins and ERA en route to the Cy Young award, he was not able to make every start. Chris Archer did his part, at least until he was traded. Thus began the concept of The Opener, as the Rays used a reliever to pitch the first inning or two of a game before turning it over to a long reliever, and subsequently, the bullpen.
Over the course of the year, 17 different pitchers made a start for the Rays. Ryne Stanke made the second most starts, beginning the game 29 times. Even closer Sergio Romo made five starts last year, as he pitched in every inning but the third in 2018. When the season was over, seven different relievers, including Stanek and Romo, made five or more starts for the Rays.
Tampa Bay may not need to rely upon the opener as much next year. Snell and Tyler Glasnow would appear to be set for spots in the rotation. Jacob Faria should be healthy once again. And, at some point, Honeywell and De Leon should be ready to contribute at the major league level. The opener may not be as much of a requirement in 2019.
Even if it is not used as much next year, the opener changed the game. Once again, the Tampa Bay Rays found a way to make the unconventional work in their favor.