4:54 pm: Conley has tested positive for the virus, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Fortunately, he’s currently asymptomatic, but the quarantine period could threaten Conley’s availability for the Rays’ Division Series that begins next week.
11:47 am: Right-hander Andrew Kittredge has been reinstated from the Rays’ injured list after a 10-day minimum absence due to a neck strain. To make room on the active roster, Tampa Bay placed left-hander Adam Conley on the COVID-19 injury list.
After four inconsistent years as a reliever, starter, and opener with the Rays, Kittredge rejoined the team on a minor league deal, looking to rebound after a 2020 season shortened by a UCL injury. The results have been startling, as Kittredge has one of the best members of the very strong Tampa bullpen and will likely be a big factor in the team’s postseason pitching plans.
Kittredge has a 1.55 ERA/2.96 SIERA over 69 2/3 innings, mostly working out of the bullpen with a few opener appearances on his resume. As per Statcast, no pitcher in baseball has a higher chase rate than Kittredge, which has translated into an above-average 27.5% strikeout rate to go along with an excellent 5.6% walk rate. The righty has also continued to keep the ball on the ground, with a 54% groundball rate that stands as a new career high.
Conley will be sidelined for a quarantine period if he has tested positive for the virus, though there isn’t yet any indication if Conley has COVID-19 or if his placement is a precaution due to symptoms or contact tracing. (As always, teams are not obliged to reveal whether or not a player’s stint on the COVID-IL is due to a positive test.) After signing a minors deal with the Rays in May, Conley has a 2.29 ERA/4.01 SIERA over 19 2/3 relief innings.
W Anderson likely out, Kitt is even more important. Need him, McHugh, and Fairbanks to reach their highest level this postseason.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery…boom
The Tampa bullpen is absolutely filthy! I assume that the Rays will use Baz as a starter in the playoffs but if they decide to put him in the bullpen, it will make that staff even harder to score on. With all of their bullpen talent, TB will most likely schedule at least one opener/bullpen game in every playoff series they make. That would be unheard of 10+ years ago but Tampa has redefined how bullpens are used in today’s game. Outside of a hot Blue Jays team (if they even make it), I don’t see any team taking down Tampa in the AL playoffs. Houston could give them some trouble too, but Tampa has too much horsepower and should be able to beat them even if the Houston offense is firing on all cylinders.
The most worrisome thing is the skipper Cash overthinking again… you have a guy throwing a no hitter and after 61 pitches you pull him out? Andrew kittredge comes in and loses the no hitter, ok no problem, in comes robertson for and inning and then you let him pitch more? Come on… bit then it doesnt stop there… Fleming closing the game, yes… Fleming closing, after a couple of hits you Walker the bases loaded and you put in can’t handle “big stressful moments Chargois” to throw the game away!!! I know we won the East, but I rather mess with the astros minds and slap them in their own home than them making us think: perhaps Cash loves to complicate things by overthinking things like he did in the world series pulling out Snell when he looked like his old self dominating. Are we going to stress out by Cash throwing out games like this?
I would like to think that Cash & his staff aren’t overthinking, but just playing the best possible matchup too much even when the eye test says otherwise. Obviously we can get into running through the 3rd time through the lineup stats and yada yada yada, but I trust Cash more often than I don’t. It’s also a possibility that Chargois & Fleming are on the bubble and you give them chance to go in there and gain experience in those late moments just in case you need them to in the Postseason, or more or less a “tryout” to see if they even make the postseason roster. In the grand scheme, this game didn’t really matter.
I do wish Cash trusted conventional “eye test” wisdom more & rode the hot hand until it’s cold SOMETIMES but most of the time they are right. We won the East & will most likely have the most wins in the AL this season after tonight, that’s insane, especially considering how our bullpen has been absolutely ravaged by injuries this year. We don’t have a Jacob Degrom or Aroldis Chapman to lean on, we HAVE to play matchups, it’s how we win.
Go Montreal !
61 pitches of NO hit ball, put the allstar kittredge when Wacha no longer has a no hitter man!!! 61 pitches of no hit and once Chargois was in to pitch the 8th and 9th hitter, I already knew we were done… match ups? F that try and get the no hitter going on with the hot hand, Wacha had it and Cash threw this game away.
The Rays clearly weren’t concerned with winning the game last night. Just pitching matchups and tryouts for reiief roles in the playoffs. Hopefully we get serious tonight.