Tampa Bay Rays: Pete Fairbanks is the epitome of the this team

Pete Fairbanks is the do it all reliever who epitomizes what the Tampa Bay Rays try to do will every member in their bullpen.

Pete Fairbanks can open. He can close. He can do anything in between. He is a big reason why the Tampa Bay Rays are playing in the American League Championship Series.

Seven different relievers started a game this year for Tampa Bay. Twelve different Rays recorded a save during the regular season. While other teams sign starters, setup men, and closers, the Rays bring in guys who can do all of the above.

One of those guys is Pete Fairbanks. The tall right-hander, with the lanky wingspan was a reliable starter/reliever during the regular season, and has quietly become the team’s closer in the postseason.

During the season, Fairbanks was 6-3 with a 2.70 earned run average. He had a 13.2 K/9 during the year to go along with seven holds. He started games, he pitched in middle relief, he pitched in low-leverage situations and high-leverage situations.

Thus far in the postseason he has saved both games the Rays have qualified for a save entering the ALCS. He pitched two innings of a tie game against the New York Yankees in a win or go home Game 5, striking out three.

The Rays knew what they had in Fairbanks when they acquired him from the Texas Rangers for infielder Nick Solak. Fairbanks was drafted in the 9th round of the 2015 draft and spent parts of two seasons coming out of the bullpen, prior to a midseason trade.

Fairbanks is young, cheap, and an early-to mid-round draft choice, something the Rays pride themselves on finding and developing.

As the Rays continue to churn their way through the American League playoffs, they have been able to hang their hat on the pitching. Pete Fairbanks has been a big part of that pen.