Rays starter Chris Archer is beginning a minor league rehab assignment with the club’s Florida Complex League affiliate today, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Reliever Oliver Drake is scheduled to begin his own rehab stint with Triple-A Durham tomorrow, per Topkin.
Archer’s coming off a lost 2020 season, in which he didn’t pitch after undergoing surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome. The Rays bought low on the 32-year-old over the winter, reuniting with the two-time All-Star on a one-year, $6.5MM deal. Unfortunately, forearm tightness knocked him out of his second start of the season and he’s spent the past three months on the injured list.
Now, though, Archer’s on the road to recovery. Players have up to thirty days on a rehab assignment, so the right-hander will be back with the big league club by mid-August at the latest (barring future setbacks). Archer’s return will add some depth to a rotation that has since lost ace Tyler Glasnow to a partially torn UCL that’ll keep him out for most or all of the remainder of the season.
The Rays could still look to add some depth to the pitching staff before the July 30 trade deadline. It’s not a glaring weakness, since the Rays have gotten generally good work from Rich Hill, Ryan Yarbrough, Shane McClanahan and Josh Fleming. There’s room to upgrade over Michael Wacha, though, and the Rays are among the league’s most flexible teams in terms of pitcher usage. It’s easy to envision the front office acquiring another starter and bumping Fleming or Wacha into a multi-inning relief role. At 53-37, Tampa Bay trails the Red Sox by a game and a half in the American League East. With arguably the league’s deepest farm system, there should be no shortage of opportunities for the Rays front office to bolster the big league roster for the stretch run.
Drake, meanwhile, hasn’t pitched all year after suffering a forearm injury during last year’s postseason. The Rays re-signed the 35-year-old over the winter with the understanding he’d miss the first few months of the campaign. Drake is part of a group of Rays relievers — Nick Anderson, Chaz Roe, Colin Poche and Cody Reed among the others — who have dealt with long-term injury issues this season.
Both Archer and Drake are on the 60-day injured list, meaning they’re not currently occupying spots on the 40-man roster. Upon their returns, Tampa Bay will need to create 40-man vacancies, which could inspire them to trade a player or two from the back of the roster before the deadline.
The T’ins have Pineda, Happ, Robles.. a left Handed oufielder and Nelson Cruz… currently on the block.. and for the right price Berrios… Please call.. the T’ins at: 1-no pitching depth..
They have everything! People with names, people without names, heck we call this guy “a left handed outfielder” and he doesn’t even care.
We sold the “w” in Twins because an apostrophe was cheaper! If that doesn’t say we are open to selling everything, we will throw in Chuck Knoblauch’s pre-yips arm!
Rays could also add a another reliever to the pitching staff like they did earlier in the season that has some team control left.
The Red Sox had a great draft Mayer in 1st Round? Jud “Bab Ruth 2.0” Fabian in the 2nd round? A+
Who cares???
Rays need to bring in Tim Lincecum for a visit. Should lock down the rotation for the stretch.
In all seriousness, if Neander can nab a capable rotation arm (maybe a cheap power bat too) with Archer, Drake & Co. coming back in a couple months we should be G2G.
I’m thinking Berrios & Cruz but it’ll probably be like
Kyle Gibson/Drew Smyly paired w/Garret Cooper.
Need a right-handed pitcher–in the AL East, full of RH power, tough to win with all lefties.
Berrios is likely going to cost a ton (ie: near Snell levels) and the Rays aren’t going to pay that, so I think you’re right that someone like Gibson could be the guy (or Duffy, Cobb, or Morton). Smyly is having a down year and is a lefty (which the Rays are overloaded at already with Hill, Yarbs, McClanny and Fleming). If whoever is brought in is to replace Wacha, I think he will be a RHP (which would exclude Duffy too).
I hope the Rays have the common sense to quickly waive Archer if he doesn’t perform even though he’s the highest paid pitcher on the team.
It’s a sunk cost. If Archer isn’t performing, he’ll be gone. Of course, he only has to beat out Wacha. That should be doable.
I’m not expecting much from Archer going forward this season. In fact my expectation is he has a setback in rehab which will then make him a solid “maybe” for September. Rays aren’t stupid. They’ll acquire another righty SP before the deadline, and anything they get from Archer will be a bonus
Lol. “The Archful Dodger of Anything Resembling a Pitcher”.
…”Archer is coming off a lost 2020?”…
He is coming off a lost CAREER.
How many more “rehab stints” this guy need?
If the Rays…truly need someone else to pitch…there is still BARTOLO COLON.
(I cannot believe some team hasn’t signed him yet. He is 10x the pitcher that Archer will never be. And can go more than 5 innings in a start, without getting shelled like The Battle of the Britain.)
Rays. You enjoy your Archer. He is not the type of “pitcher” a contending team needs. (Learn…from Pittsburgh’s mistakes. They took him off your hands, and gave ya an ace and a solid OF/DH in return. In turn…the dumb Bucs threw Archer out there at every turn…3 years ago, and he sucked then. Every outing. He was washed up then. And now? He is only an older wash up/never was.)
Why does MLB keep this type of player around?
Pitching is so bad these days, that when a scrub like Archer can get a job (are they simply signing “arms” that can position themselves on a mound…to throw it right down the middle? That isn’t Pitching. That is batting practice).
DFA fodder is all that scrub is and ever will be.
He all yours again Devil Rays. Enjoy.
He will assuredly “rehab” and then continue to suck “post-rehab”.
Do you not have ONE rookie arm on some minor league team who can go 3-9 with a 5.25 ERA…and at least LEARN?
Guess not.
Should sign Bartolo. The man at least KNOWS how to pitch.
Not standing up for archer but at the time it wasn’t a bad deal for Pittsburgh. A young proven arm that can give you innings. When Glasnow is healthily pitcher is he better you bet but he’s only threw for over a 100 innings once.
Jesus, what is with the Archer hate on here?
Hate the Drake!
Drake and Archer, not exactly Glasnow and Anderson. Bring back morton its a no brainer