The Rays opened a rotation spot Wednesday morning by buying and selling Aaron Civale to the Brewers. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Instances studies on X that Shane Baz will take that rotation spot, seemingly taking up Civale’s scheduled begin on Friday. For now, the Rays have recalled reliever Justin Sterner to provide the bullpen an additional arm, as Topkin recommended they’d.
The recall of Baz is a reasonably logical subsequent step, because it traces up with reporting from final week. Katie Woo, Patrick Mooney, and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Rays might make some beginning pitching obtainable, not essentially as deadline “sellers” however just because they have been able the place that they had a relative surplus within the rotation.
On the time of that report, the Rays had a giant league rotation of Civale, Zach Eflin, Taj Bradley, Zack Littell and Ryan Pepiot, with Baz and Jeffrey Springs each nearing returns from Tommy John surgical procedures. The reporting indicated that the Rays might commerce one in all their veteran starters to bolster their system and/or improve one other space of their roster, then backfill the rotation with Baz or Springs whereas saving some cash. All that’s now coming to go this week. Civale and his $4.9M wage have been traded to the Brewers, with the Rays including infield prospect Gregory Barrios to their system.
The membership is at present 43-42 and solely three video games out of a playoff spot, however the hope is that subtracting Civale whereas including Baz will depart the membership’s aggressive possibilities in 2024 comparatively unchanged or even perhaps improved.
Baz was acquired as a part of the lopsided deal that despatched Chris Archer to the Pirates for Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows and a participant to be named later, which ultimately turned out to be Baz. The younger righty was already a notable prospect, because the Bucs drafted him twelfth general in 2017.
His first full season within the Rays’ system was very sturdy, as he made 17 Single-A begins with a 2.99 earned run common. His 10.8% stroll price was a bit excessive, however he struck out 25.4% of batters confronted. After the minor league was canceled in 2020, Baz was much more spectacular in 2021. He had a 2.06 ERA over 78 2/3 innings pitched between Double-A and Triple-A, hanging out 37.9% of batters confronted whereas giving out walks at only a 4.4% price. He additionally debuted his main league with three begins and a 2.03 ERA.
Going into 2022, Baz was thought of the eighth-best prospect in the whole league by Baseball America, with different retailers equally bullish. The Rays have been certainly hoping for him to ascertain himself on the large league stage that yr, however his well being obtained in the best way. In March, he underwent arthroscopic elbow surgical procedure to take away unfastened our bodies from his pitching elbow and started the season on the injured checklist. He was reinstated in June and made six begins earlier than being shut down with an elbow sprain, which ultimately led to Tommy John surgical procedure in September.
Whereas rehabbing, he missed all of 2023 and started this yr on the injured checklist. He was reinstated from the injured checklist in Could however optioned to Triple-A to proceed build up his workload there. He appeared to indicate a little bit of rust early on, with a 7.71 ERA via his first 5 minor league begins this yr. However he’s been dominant in his most up-to-date 5, with a 1.57 ERA in these outings.
Since Civale had a 5.07 ERA with the Rays earlier than being dealt, Baz could possibly improve the present rotation based mostly on how he pitched in 2021 and the way he has regarded up to now month or so. The strikes showcase how a membership can stroll a tightrope of each shopping for and promoting, because the Rays saved some money and netted a prospect that would assist them down the road whereas concurrently preserving their aggressive hopes alive right here in 2024.
Baz’s path to free company will probably be pushed again by spending greater than a month within the minors earlier than being recalled. He got here into this season with two years and 14 days of service time, due to his call-up late in 2021 after which two years largely spent on the injured checklist. However by the point he’s recalled to take the ball on Friday, it would have been greater than six weeks since he was optioned on Could 23, that means he received’t be capable of get to the three-year mark right here in 2024.
He’ll be a lock for Tremendous Two standing on the finish of this yr and can, due to this fact, get 4 journeys via arbitration as a substitute of three, assuming he stays up with the large league membership the remainder of the best way. Nonetheless, the earliest he can qualify free of charge company at this level is after the 2028 marketing campaign.
The Rays might maybe make one other collection of strikes like this, with Springs additionally nearing a return from his surgical procedure. The lefty obtained as much as three innings pitched in his most up-to-date rehab begin and may very well be prepared for reinstatement shortly. The long-term rotation image appears good even when they commerce Eflin or Littell, who can every be managed via 2025. Shane McClanahan ought to return from his Tommy John surgical procedure subsequent yr and is below membership management via 2027. Pepiot is below management via 2028, and Bradley is one yr past that. The Springs extension goes via 2026 with a membership choice for 2027. Drew Rasmussen, at present on the IL after final yr’s inside brace surgical procedure, might be managed by way of arbitration via 2026. Tyler Alexander is on non-obligatory project and pitching decently within the minors, with the potential to be retained by way of arbitration past this yr.
