Rays close spring with some job switches - Tampa Bay Times

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LAKELAND — For openers, reliever Cody Reed said his first experience starting in front of a scheduled bulk-inning pitcher went well. And, for that matter, usual starter Michael Wacha said entering a game in the second inning wasn’t too bad, either.

The Rays used Tuesday’s spring finale to try something they may do during the season, potentially — though not likely — as soon as Monday’s game in Boston.

Manager Kevin Cash said Reed, a hard-throwing lefty, profiles well as an opener.

“It seems like he’s equipped to handle left-handed and right-handed batters and that it could be a pretty good slot for him when needed throughout the season,” he said.

Reed, who was primarily a starter through 2018 with the Reds, said it was not a big adjustment, and he’s happy with any role the Rays have for him: “I’m going to go out there and compete just like this the first, the seventh, every time out there, no matter when I get the ball.”

Wacha, the veteran free-agent addition, had a solid spring and seems likely to be used primarily as a starter. But he said working three innings behind Reed and figuring out how to get ready was good experience for what could be ahead, with running in from the bullpen the biggest difference.

“It didn’t feel too weird,” Wacha said. “I’ve come out of the bullpen before, so I’ve kind of experienced what that’s like. … Just trying to figure out that timing, really, leading up to the game and getting on the mound, that was probably the trickiest part, but it all went smooth.”

Cash said the Rays haven’t decided what role Wacha will pitch on Monday. Nor do they have a specific plan for how often they’ll use openers. He did say that with Nick Anderson hurt, it’s less likely either of their other high-leverage relievers, Diego Castillo or Pete Fairbanks, will open, as both have done.

Spring ahead

Though the Rays lost three key players to injury — outfielder Brett Phillips (hamstring), first baseman Ji-Man Choi (knee surgery) and Anderson (partial elbow ligament tear) — Cash said the spring overall went well, as they beat the Tigers 5-0 Tuesday to win their last five games to finish 13-15.

“We’re encouraged with where we’re at right now,” he said. “Realistically, we go in every spring keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that people don’t get hurt, but we’ve seen consistently guys go down.”

Cash praised the staff, including coaches Matt Quatraro and Kyle Snyder, and athletic trainers Joe Benge and Mike Sandoval, for orchestrating the camp amid the coronavirus protocols and restrictions.

Game details: Rays 5, Tigers 0 (7 innings)

Willy Adames, who homered twice Monday, laced a double in his first at-bat against Detroit’s Casey Mize but was picked off. … Reliever Collin McHugh was “adamant” about getting one more tuneup, Cash said, and looked good in a one-hit fifth, mixing his pitches well. “Kyle had mentioned that might have been his best swing-and-miss stuff,” Cash said. … Minor-leaguer Brett Sullivan, who has the unusual versatility to play catcher and outfield, impressed again with his bat, doubling in two runs. ... Prospect Wander Franco came in to play third, as the Rays wanted to give Mike Brosseau more work at shortstop.

Miscellany

BTW, that was #Rays Glasnow pre-game today sporting the “man bun” look with his usual long flowing hair. pic.twitter.com/3mFxxeuY6z

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) March 30, 2021

• The regional sports network that televises the Rays will be rebranded Wednesday from Fox Sports Sun to Bally Sports Sun. The opening week under the new name will be a bit hectic. With a new Tampa studio not ready and a conflict with final WWE events at Tropicana Field, the broadcast crew will call the Rays series in Miami, and base the pre- and postgame shows, at a studio in Fort Lauderdale, 29 miles from Marlins Park. In-game reporter Tricia Whitaker will be at the stadium.

• Austin Meadows stuck around after leaving the game in the third and got to see younger brother Parker, a 21-year-old Tigers prospect, get to pinch-hit (and fly out) in the seventh. “That was cool,” Cash said. “Pretty awesome that Austin stayed and watched him get in there.”

• Veteran starter Rich Hill, slated to face the Marlins Saturday, took a few swings during batting practice and impressed Cash. Opening-day starter Tyler Glasnow asked in, as he has done almost daily, but Cash wouldn’t have it. “We told him he could hit in group four,” Cash said, “but there wasn’t a group four.” Glasnow, by the way, had his long flowing locks in something of a man-bun.

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Rays close spring with some job switches - Tampa Bay Times
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