The Tampa Bay Rays haven’t had a 200-inning starter since 2012 when both David Price and James Shields passed the mark, and unless this year’s group gets much healthier, they won’t have one this season either.
Opening Day starter Chris Archer was close last year (194.2 innings across 32 starts), but the Tampa Bay starting rotation will need to log more time on the mound to keep the pressure off the bullpen in order to stay in the playoff race in 2015.
While Matt Moore, Alex Cobb and Drew Smyly are expected to hold down three of the five spots in the rotation, none of the three (nor Alex Colome, who also had visa issues in addition to pneumonia) are expected to be healthy enough to start the season there. Moore is recovering from Tommy John surgery, Cobb was scratched from Opening Day with right-tendinitis, and Smyly has been dealing with left-shoulder tendinitis.
In the mean time, Matt Andriese, Everett Teaford and Burch Smith may have a chance to start behind middle of the rotation starters Jake Odorizzi and Nate Karns. Mike Montgomery, another starting candidate, was traded to Seattle last week for Erasmo Ramirez.
Next: 23. Milwaukee Brewers