10:40am: The Rays announced the move. Righty Jose De Leon was optioned back to Durham in place of Fairbanks.
10:22am: The Rays will promote pitching prospect Peter Fairbanks from Triple-A Durham, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (via Twitter).
Fairbanks, 25, was acquired in a perhaps under-the-radar deadline trade that sent fellow prospect Nick Solak from the Rays to the Rangers. The right-hander brings an electric two-pitch mix to the Tampa Bay bullpen. Both MLB.com and Fangraphs give him a 70 grade (on the 20-80 scale) for his fastball and a 55 on his slider, though Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel noted in their ranking of the prospects moved at this year’s deadline that Fairbanks’ slider will flash plus-plus (70) at times as well. MLB.com lists Fairbanks 24th among Rays farmhands, while he checks in at No. 22 on Baseball America’s list and No. 30 over at Fangraphs.
Fairbanks already made his MLB debut with the Rangers earlier this season, but he’ll now give the Rays their first look at him on a Major League mound. The 2015 ninth-rounder has pitched to a 3.96 ERA with a whopping 14.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 0.49 HR/9 and a well above-average ground-ball rate in 36 1/3 minor league innings in 2019. His brief stint with the Rangers didn’t go well, as he nine earned runs and walked seven batters in 8 2/3 innings, but Fairbanks also collected 15 strikeouts in at time and averaged 97.3 mph on his heater.
There’s a good bit of injury risk with Fairbanks, as he’s already had Tommy John surgery twice — once in high school and once again in 2017 while in the Rangers’ system. He missed the entire 2018 season on the heels of that 2017 surgery, so Fairbanks is only in his first year back from the procedure. The minor league results have been rather encouraging, however, and he’ll now get a chance to show off his high-octane right arm as he auditions for a long term spot in the club’s relief mix. The Rays figure to be somewhat cautious not only with regard to his season-long workload but also in pitching Fairbanks on back to back days — at least in 2019.
Fairbanks will be controllable through at least the 2025 season, depending on future optional assignments, and the earliest he’d be eligible for arbitration would be after the 2022 season.
I wonder if his nickname will be “the banker”?
Makes sense. They’ve got 10 games in a row, and the bullpen’s been iffy. And given those 10 are against Detroit, Seattle and Baltimore (I think), it’s a chance for them to make a move and solidify a playoff spot.
Solak’s raking in the PCL (yawn), in Nashville (double yawn). But the glove is really hideous; the only shift that hides his defense is to intentionally walk every hitter.
Rangers are desperate for good young bats and Solak fills that bill. His fielding can be improved.
Is Fairbanks the answer to their bullpen issues? Al-ask-an expert next chance I get.
Fairbanks has exciting arm action, but when it stops working – he is prone to home runs. I would use him as a “setup guy.”
That was such a good trade by Texas imo
The Rays are experts at using pitchers expertise at the proper moment in games. Can’t wait to see him pitch.
Rays were stacked with good middle infielders so the one that played the worst D got traded for a RP with upside.
Glad someone can see clearly
No different than the Jesus Sanchez trade. The Rays saw two relievers they really liked and 2 prospects w Some sort of issues they didn’t like. Solak is another Brandon Lowe and they’ve already extended Blowe. No need to have another. Anderson looks to be an absolute winner and maybe Fairbanks will be too. That’s a really good FO.
Also Lowe also has the better glove & has proven to hit major league pitching.
Fairbanks is no doubt “electric” but he also can let you down. He can never be your “closer.”
Sure but Solak’s never been given the opportunity. He also doesn’t have the extension so it was pretty clear he was going to be expendable. Lowe and Solak are comparable players.