A pitching staff that has dealt with a number of injuries since the start of Spring Training looks like it’s getting back closer to normal.
The Tampa Bay Rays activated a pair of pitchers from the injured list Saturday. Reliever Cody Reed, who is been dealing with a recurrence of the finger issue that caused him to miss most of the stretch run in 2020, was taken off the 10-day injured list, and fellow lefty Rich Hill was activated from the COVID-19 injured list after missing Friday with side effects from taking the vaccination.
Reliever Louis Head was optioned to the alternate training site after Friday’s loss, and Trevor Richards, who pitched two innings in the 9-2 defeat, was sent down Saturday morning to make room for Hill, who will start Sunday’s finale against the Houston Astros.
Fairbanks Throws Simulated Inning
Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks throws a simulated inning of work Saturday at Tropicana Field, pitching to catcher Kevan Smith and first baseman Ji-Man Choi. (photo: Steve Carney/St. Pete Nine)
Tampa Bay could be getting back two more injured pitchers in a short amount of time.
Reliever Pete Fairbanks, who has been out since April 9 with a strained rotator cuff, threw a simulated inning at Tropicana Field Saturday, pitching to catcher Kevan Smith and first baseman Ji-Man Choi. Rays manager Kevin Cash said that fellow reliever Collin McHugh, who has been on the injured list since April 18 with a lower back strain, will throw in a simulated situation Sunday.
Both could be activated as soon as Monday, when the team begins their next road trip in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels.