Tampa Bay Rays Pitchers Ready to Embrace New Faces Behind the Plate

TAMPA — With the turn of the month, the backstop situation for the Tampa Bay Rays has changed dramatically.

On Monday, Tampa Bay traded catcher Danny Jansen to the Milwaukee Brewers. Subsequently, the club acquired Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes. Before Thursday’s deadline came to pass, the Rays acquired catcher Hunter Feduccia from the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a three-team deal that saw Tampa Bay starting right-hander Zack Littell moved to the Cincinnati Reds.

Fortes has appeared in two games for the Rays since arriving, and Feduccia reported to the team on Friday. Additionally, catcher Matt Thaiss has been designated for assignment.

The various moves have compelled the pitching staff to adjust along with Feduccia and Fortes, as Tampa Bay looks to get back on track in August after an arduous July.

It is a challenge they are optimistically embracing.

“We think really highly of Hunter Feduccia,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said before Tampa Bay’s series opener at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers. “We feel like he’s done a lot of good things in Triple-A, so we’ll go back and forth between him and Nick Fortes and, you know, see if we can get some really good production out of the catching position.”

A Sense of Familiarity

Though All-Star right-hander Drew Rasmussen hasn’t had a chance to welcome Feduccia to the team, he knows first-hand what his new teammate can do at the plate.

“Hunter’s first career hit came off of me, so it’s nice to have him on our side,” Rasmussen said with a smile. “I should be his favorite teammate day one.”

While Rasmussen’s approach is light-hearted, he is aware of the seriousness of the adjustment.

“Nick [Fortes] did a great job in New York of just trying to onboard as fast as possible,” Rasmussen said. “And he’s going to have a lot of information thrown at him, and now Hunter’s going to have to do the same thing.”

For Feduccia, there are familiar faces to lean on during this rapid transition, such as former minor league teammates Ryan Pepiot and Jonny DeLuca.

“Pepiot was mainly in Tulsa Double-A, and DeLuca in Triple-A for a good bit,” Feduccia said. “So, yeah, it’s good to see some familiar faces.”

Pepiot fondly recalls his time with Feduccia in Tulsa, the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“He’s just an awesome guy,” Pepiot said. “Super nice, very easy, funny guy; good clubhouse guy. He really knows how to call a game, hits for some power from the left side, and can hit to all fields as well.”

Pepiot added that he called Feduccia when the news broke on Thursday, expressing his excitement for the 28-year-old.

“He needs to get an opportunity, and he’s excited to be here.”

Tackling a Learning Curve

Like Rasmussen, Pepiot knows that adjusting to their new faces behind the plate will pose a challenge and a learning curve.

“I think the biggest one is, you haven’t had a whole spring training to kind of get to know the guy or develop a relationship as pitcher and catcher,” Pepiot said. “So you don't necessarily know how a guy goes about their start or their relief appearance, and you don’t necessarily know how they work in a game situation.”

“I think that’s the biggest one, just trying to understand how each guy goes, and if things start to go away, what’s the queue to get him back in the zone.”

Both Pepiot and Rasmussen understand that the onus is on the pitchers to take the initiative in a game setting while building a rapport with their new backstops.

“We’re the ones throwing the ball at the end of the day,” Pepiot said. “Obviously, we have a really good game plan going into it, but at the end of the day, it’s all about what we’re comfortable with throwing.”

A Sense of Familiarity

Tackling a Learning Curve

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