The Rays’ 8-7 extra-innings win over the Diamondbacks today came at an unfortunate cost, as both Pete Fairbanks and Yandy Diaz left the game due to injuries. Fairbanks’ injury is the more serious matter, as manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times) that the closer suffered an apparent lat strain, and will be headed to the 15-day injured list. Diaz had to leave the game after being hit in his left elbow with a pitch, but Cash said the infielder is day to day since X-rays and an MRI of Diaz’s elbow were both negative.
More will be known once Fairbanks undergoes tests, but depending on the severity of the strain, it is possible Fairbanks might’ve thrown his last pitch of the 2024 campaign. This will be his second IL stint of the season, after he missed around three weeks earlier this year dealing with a nerve entrapment issue.
Fairbanks allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning of work today, and that rocky performance will boost his ERA up to 3.57 over 45 1/3 frames. Sunday’s injury-marred outing aside, Fairbanks has pitched pretty well in his second season as Tampa Bay’s closer, as he has converted 23 of 27 save opportunities. Fairbanks’ 23.5% strikeout rate is slightly above average and his 8.9% walk rate is on the high side, though a .267 BABIP has helped paper over these middling metrics.
Most of the damage against Fairbanks occurred prior to his first IL stint, as he posted a 1.91 ERA in his first 37 2/3 innings after recovering from the nerve entrapment problems. The Rays used a bullpen-by-committee approach to save situations when Fairbanks was sidelined that first time, and the team will probably adopt that same tactic again. Garrett Cleavinger has been Tampa Bay’s most effective reliever overall, though Cash might deploy him in high-leverage situations at any point late in a game, rather than specifically just holding leads in the ninth inning.
Diaz was hit on the elbow in his very first at-bat of the game, forcing Christopher Morel into the lineup as a early replacement. Given the good news about his initial tests, it could be that Diaz might return after just a day or two off to recover from any swelling, but the Rays will naturally be cautious about one of their key bats. Diaz’s .273/.329/.396 slash line over 498 PA is well below his production from 2022-23, but he is another player who has started to get it together after a slow start —- Diaz had hit .301/.340/.445 in his previous 253 PA entering today’s action.
These injuries will make the Rays’ uphill climb towards a playoff berth even steeper. Despite moving a lot of veteran talent at the trade deadline, today’s win moved Tampa Bay back above the .500 mark to 62-61, and the club is 6.5 games back of the last AL wild card spot.
Adam got traded by the rays weeks ago
This could be a BIGGE development.
They should.
No kidding!!!!
Jason Adam was traded to the Padres at the deadline
Adam is a Padre, Marky Mark!
🙂
Dirk Diggler has entered the chat!
Like “Marky Mark”
I was staring right at Cleavinger’s B-Ref page yet still wrote Adam’s name down, oops. Thanks to those who pointed out that silly error.
I remember Fairbanks when he couldn’t average 8 K’s a game then he learned the Roger Beshens Football Slider in 2018.
Kevin Cash, Peter Bendix benefited when they saw Glasnow who just learned the RBFS in Pitt June 2018. They need to give credit where due.
When was the last time Oete Fairbanks threw at least 2 2/3 in the same game????
@Pett Seriously give it up. You were claiming other say Cole and Snell hadn’t avg’d Knper inning til 2018. Which is false. You re just regurgitating nonsense.
@Pett BTW Fairbanks did not throw a pitch in MLB til 2019 you buffoon.
Fairbanks got the Roger Beshens Football Slider karma.
Fairbanks gives up a HR to Corbin on a change up and then comes back his next game another change up HR to Del Castillo, then he gets a Lat injury. Fairbanks is not a smart guy and him not admitting if it wasn’t for the RBFS he would be avg at best.
Fairbanks couldn’t even avg 8 K’s a game in the minors.
He learned the RBFootball Slider and then shortened his arm path.
Beshens Taught Bieber and Gioloto the same thing. Both Bieb’s and Giolito couldn’t avg over a K an IP until 2018 and 2019.
What you talking about Cole and Snell, Bieber and 57 others couldn’t avg over 10 k’s per 9 before 2018.
Fairbanks averaged less than 8 k’s a game in the minors then all of a sudden he finds success with the Roger Beshens Football Slider.
Never would have had a 1st pitch in majors without the Roger Beshens Football Slider.
Lat strain and oblique strain. When did these injuries become so prevalent? Blows my mind. Going back to the 60s and through the 70s here; was it even a thing then?
And I think the word “prevalent” to describe how often these injuries occur is realistic. Here’s a fun exercise. Open the search bar on this site, type in these terms and then press the “GO” button.
Certainly wasn’t a thing back in the day. A lot has changed since then; rules, equipment, field dimensions, body development and what’s been put into said body. Hasn’t allowed the players to escape injury. Seems like Fairbanks averages 2-3 IL stints per year.
Last and oblique pull injuries are from weight training. More prone to it. Need to do more conditioning and less strength training.
*Lat
That would be in the body development category.
These pieces of garbage and their stupid moneyball approach will NEVER win anything they roll over and give the Astros three free wins then help the scumbag Dodgers luckily sweeping the Dbacks and now Fairbanks is out when they face their daddies the Dodgers in LA who they lost to in the fake World Series.
Fairbanks sucked in 2017 and before he couldn’t even avg 8 k’s a game in the Minors.
When he learned the Roger Beshens Football Slider he shortened his arm path and that’s why he’s even in the Majors. He doesn’t even have enough class to admit the RBFS elevated his game.
Where is Roger Beshens? Talking with Brent Strom. It’s ironic Fairbanks threw 2 changeups for homers and then get’s injured while playing the Dbacks. Roger Beshens Football SLider in the house.
Fairbanks keep throwing that Roger Beshens Football Slider with that shortened arm path. You, Bieber and Giolito same shortened arm path and Roger Beshens Football Slider.
Where would you guys be without Roger Beshens?
Minors, basket weaving?