Rays fans may have seen the report that the team and pitcher Chris Archer had agreed to a deal earlier this week, but the two sides have been discussing reuniting for the last few months.
The 32-year-old said Tuesday it wasn’t long after the Rays loss in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers that general manager Erik Neander started the feeling out process to see if the right-hander was interested in returning.
“The Rays reached out probably 7 to 10 days after the World Series [ended,]” Archer said in his Zoom conference from California. “Erik reached out personally to my agent. I spoke to him as well. I explained to them where I was at from a rehab standpoint. At that point I was completely clear, and it was good for them to hear that.”
Archer said that Neander told him they’d be in touch as the off-season went on. Following Charlie Morton signing with Atlanta, and trading left-hander Blake Snell to San Diego, the Rays GM returned to the pitcher and his agent with a deal.
“There was a lot of interest from a lot of different teams,” Archer admitted. “Whenever the opportunity came to where we were talking about numbers and I saw the offer was reflective of how interested Tampa was, it really meant something to me that it started at a very competitive point. We were able to work it out, and I couldn’t be any happier.”
Archer had a rough go of things in Pittsburgh, winning just six of his 18 decisions with the Pirates and missing all of 2020 after needing thoracic outlet surgery. But the right-hander feels a return to where he was an All-Star will help get him going back on the right track.
“I learned a lot the last two to three years: dealing with injury, learning what not to use with my repertoire — I definitely have some failed experiments,” Archer said. “But now that I’m totally healthy, I’ve already had lengthy discussions with Kyle Snyder and with the front office on how to utilize my stuff at its best.”
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
