The Rays have recalled right-hander Jake Faria from Triple-A Durham while demoting infielder Daniel Robertson, the team announced.
Faria makes his second appearance with the club this season, the first resulting in a scoreless two-inning outing against the Red Sox on April 20th. He has otherwise notched better-than-usual strikeout rates in Triple-A this season (11.6 K/9) along with a 4-1 record and 5.41 ERA across 15 games (6 starts).
Faria gave the Rays 86 2/3 strong innings of 3.43 ERA baseball across 14 starts in 2017, but an abdominal strain cost him some time and limited him to just three appearances apiece in August and September. He started ten games with a less rousing 5.48 ERA to start 2018, but a left oblique strain landed him on the 60-day injured list. He has since fallen down the pecking order amidst a loaded Rays pitching contingent, but he’ll have an opportunity here to serve as one of manager Kevin Cash’s many long men out of the pen.
For Robertson, the demotion is a disappointing turn for the one-time Oakland farmhand. After accruing 2.4 fWAR and a well-above-average 127 wRC+ in 2018, Robertson slumped in 2019 while concentrating more of his defensive time at third base. Robertson’s .205/.310/.284 is a far cry from his 2018 output. His approach has remained relatively stable (10.8 BB%, 24.6 K%), but his power has all but evaporated (.080 ISO). While power hardly figures to be a prominent part of his game, a sub-.300 slugging percentage makes him borderline unplayable for the Rays in a tightly-contested AL East.
In recovery news, Tyler Glasnow’s comeback trail kicks off today as the Rays plan to have him throwing off a mound to a catcher closer than the traditional 60 feet 6 inches, tweets MLB.com’s Juan Toribio. Glasnow could throw a bullpen session as early as Wednesday, but nothing has changed as of yet regarding his recovery timetable. Given his placement on the 60-day injured list, Glasnow’s earliest date of reinstatement is July 12th.
probably the best thing for the team to send Robertson down and we have Arroyo down there if we need to call up another right-hander off the bench.
Arroyo is on the IL
that is true but we also have Michael Brussou down at Durham who has 56 RBIs in 62 games!!
I’d love to see it. I can’t remember the last Undrafted position player to see MLB action; they’re usually pitchers. I’m sure there’s been a few, but not to my memory.
Brussou does play everywhere, even if not well. He’ll get himself Rule 5-ed if nothing else this winter.
About time to send D-Rob down now that Wendle is back. Hopefully Faria can find his groove until Glasnow gets back.
Boy how the game and analyzing it has changed. An ERA of over 5 means more to me than a strikeout rate. All I want from a pitcher in most instances is to efficiently get outs without giving up runs (yours or inherited runners). Efficiently because I’m also tired of 6 pitchers in a game. MLB will not keep fans long term unless games get shorter in duration.
Yea, a long game is fine if there is alot of action. Nothing worse than a four hour game with less than 7 hits though. I was blown away by a 2hr16m Phillies game this week, I turned it on thinking I could catch the last 3 innings and they’re shaking hands.
Too many foul balls in a game also makes the games longer. What is to be done about that?
Foul balls have always been part of the game. A battle between hitter and pitcher. The Sox on Thursday were though impossible to watch despite the homers. All those walks are an embarrassment.
No one wants a good strikeout rate if it comes with a 5+ ERA. The strikeout rate is a “peripheral stat” that (along with other things) lead evaporators to believe that the pitcher is capable of a better ERA. It’s harder than just looking at an ERA and judging good or bad, but it often is a good way to make decisions
Not keep fans long? 150 years and counting, that’s not long enough for ya?
Why Keon Wong continues to rip AAA pitching and stays down is beyond my comprehension.
I’d agree. A bit long in the tooth, but he’s a LH bat, plays anywhere….seems like a useful piece for somebody.