The Rays announced this afternoon that top pitching prospect Shane Baz underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow. He’s expected to resume throwing in 2-3 weeks (via Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times).
Baz debuted in the majors last September, making his first three starts down the stretch. He punched out 18 hitters in 13 1/3 innings during that brief look, averaging north of 97 MPH on his heater. Tampa Bay carried Baz on their postseason roster, giving him the start in Game 2 of their Division Series against the Red Sox. That outing didn’t go as hoped, but there’s little question the righty had emerged as a key piece of the Rays’ pitching plans — both in the near and long term.
This offseason, Baseball America named Baz the league’s eighth-most promising prospect. He checked in second among pitchers in that ranking, making the former first-rounder one of the top young arms in the game. It doesn’t seem there’s any reason for long-term concern about today’s procedure, although it’ll almost certainly force him to begin the season on the injured list.
Opening Day is seventeen days from now. Given the club’s announced timetable, it’s possible Baz will begin throwing before regular season action gets underway, but he’ll need some time to build strength back up. He may require some time in the minors on a rehab assignment as well.
With Baz out of the season-opening rotation mix, Tampa Bay looks likely to rely on some combination of Shane McClanahan, Corey Kluber, Luis Patiño, Ryan Yarbrough, Josh Fleming and Drew Rasmussen to start games over the first few weeks. Tampa Bay is among the league’s most flexible teams with regards to managing a pitching staff, but the loss of a high-octane arm like Baz is a disappointing development for a team competing in an AL East that again looks as if it’ll be a four-team fight.
Johnny Cueto is still a Free agent, Neander
@ajrodz1335-40 year old Johnny Cueto? Why not just sign Bartolo Colon out of retirement? Lol
I mean, you think he’d do it?
@ajrodz1335- why not? Tampa will be a lst place team this season. Meanwhile my team traded for Josh Donaldson whose owed $16 million a year for the next two years and let Trevor Story sign with the RS for 6 years, at $23 million a pop, which makes zero sense.
Or a trade to Cin, Oak would be perfectly fine
BIG SEXY!!!!!!
I wonder if the Rays made him pay for the surgery himself…
Oh, because they’re cheap. Good one. Original too. (My goodness, three people actually liked that comment.)
More than 3 niw, putz
11 now. But heaven forbid people have any differences of opinion.
I got 12 !! Do I hear 13..13..13…!!!!
This one was clever though
I wonder how many likes the article of the cheating Yankees will get?
Just trade Meadows for a couple of rookies, who the Sting Rays will trade before they ever have to pay them.
Call me when Judge wins MVP
@ajrodz1335- if Judge stays healthy there is no reason why he couldn’t win the MVP.
Or if the Astros didn’t cheat in 2017, Judge would already have one MVP.
Sounds like he may have cheated too. Just not as well, apparently.
@Ducey- there is absolutely zero proof that I cheated. I should of been MVP and Rookie Of The Year in 2017.
but but but IT’S A BIG CONSPIRACY.
53% winning percentage vs 57% winning percentage over the last 6 years.
not bad for a bunch of rookies that don’t get paid when compared to, say, THE YANKEES.
It seems not paying players, past their prime, is the smart way to run a winning baseball team.
Only a Sting Rays prospect would have “loose bodies from his elbow” that definitely seems made up.
Your medical knowledge is astounding. The Rays should be lining up to hire you to head there medical staff.
Stupidity like that can only be sourced from an envious Yankee fan.
Only heard that about thousand times when referring to baseball payers elbows, shoulders knees, ankles……; Add to that every other sport……. smh…..
Bro.
They absolutely exist. They are little fragments of bone & cartilage. Generally speaking they are about the size & shape of a grain of rice. Typically, they cause little to no discomfort. But the “loose” part is what can cause pain. They “float” around a joint & will sometimes get caught in a painful spot (i.e. pulling on a ligament or tendon, etc). If it doesn’t move from that spot on it’s own, or you want to not have the pain, a scopic surgery is the solution.
One of those loose bodies probably got caught where it is causing Baz pain. As he wants to be pitching, he is getting it cleaned up.
How do I know this?
Because: I have about a dozen of them in my right shoulder.
My knee wishes your shoulder well. Everyone is susceptible. Athletes more so due to intense stress placed on various joints. Hopefully for Baz that the loose bodies are not from something important in that elbow breaking down. At least a surgeon would have gotten a look at at least some of the structure of the elbow while cleaning things out.
Thanks. Same to you, serious.
Doctor at the VA Hospital told me it was a direct result of throwing baseballs & footballs so much when I was younger. He seemed confident in that statement too.
Knee? Basketball?
You know, I didn’t realize until today’s comments just what a child you are.
Meadows to SD for weathers
Seems like SD would lose that deal.
We need bats
@Ha-Seong Kim- the Rays can get a lot more then just Weathers for Meadows.
Nope
Cleveland needs a bat and tampa an arm, it could happen
Paging StPeteStingRay for more color on the Meadows trade.
I take full responsibility for Baz’s injury.
I figured you would elaborate even more on the Archer trade.
Only a matter of time before they burn his arm too. This is just the beginning for him, and par for their organization
My have Sean Manaea for you .