Tampa Bay Rays Place Flamethrowing Closer on Injured List with Unknown Issue
After another rough performance recently, Tampa Bay Rays' closer Pete Fairbanks has been placed on the injured list with an unknown nerve issue.
After another rough outing recently, Tampa Bay Rays' reliever Pete Fairbanks has been placed on the injured list with a nerve issue.
Kristie Ackert had the information on social media:
That's an ominous sounding injury considering there's very little information out right now. For now, the Rays will cross their fingers and hope that Fairbanks is healthy and will be back soon, but there's no timetable yet.
The 30-year-old Wisconsin native is one of the most valuable members of the Rays' bullpen, notching 25 saves in 2023. He already has three saves this season but has struggled to get going, allowing seven earned runs in seven innings. He blew a save on April 17th against the Angels and then was unavailable for multiple games this weekend. Perhaps this issue is why he was unavailable.
If Fairbanks is required to miss significant time, he would just be the latest Rays pitcher forced to do the same thing. Shane McClanahan is out for the year with Tommy John surgery while Jeffrey Springs could miss the season with the same thing. Drew Rasmussen is out most of the year with elbow problems himself and Taj Bradley has yet to pitch this season because of a pec issue.
After winning 99 games last season, the Rays are currently 12-11 and in last place in the American League East. They are taking on the Detroit Tigers for a series beginning on Monday night.
First pitch is set for 6:50 p.m. ET as Zack Littell pitches against Tigers' lefty Tarik Skubal.
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