The Tampa Bay Rays were sellers at the trade deadline but despite strong interest from other teams in their closer Pete Fairbanks, the Rays decided to keep him. Fairbanks has had a solid season, even though the Rays have struggled. However, he is now sidelined after being placed on the 15-day injured list due to a strained right lat, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
The injury occurred during Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks when Fairbanks entered in the ninth inning to protect a three-run lead. After allowing a game-tying three-run homer, Fairbanks remained in the game but signaled for assistance after throwing an 84 mph slider. Manager Kevin Cash immediately pulled him from the game, and an MRI the following day confirmed the lat strain. The Rays expect Fairbanks to be out for 2-4 weeks.
“We’ll have a clearer picture around the time we return from the road trip [August 30], based on how he’s feeling,” Cash told MLB.com. With the Rays out of playoff contention, they may not rush Fairbanks back, possibly ending his season early. Fairbanks has a history of injuries, including a partial lat tear in 2022 that kept him out for three and a half months, limiting him to just 24 appearances.
Fairbanks signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Rays before the 2022 season but has had multiple injuries, including a hip issue that sidelined him in May and June, limiting him to 49 appearances in 2023.
This latest injury marks Fairbanks’ second trip to the IL in 2024, following a nerve issue that kept him out for about three weeks in April and May. Despite back-to-back blown saves in his last two outings, Fairbanks had been outstanding since returning from the IL in May, with a 1.47 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 20 saves in 36 appearances before the series with Arizona. On the season, he has a 3.57 ERA, 1.169 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, 23 saves, and an ERA+ of 110 in 45.1 innings.
With Fairbanks out, the Rays might opt for a closer-by-committee approach, as they did earlier in the season. However, this time they’ll be without Jason Adam, who was traded to the San Diego Padres at the deadline.