The 2023 MLB season is warming up as pitchers and catchers have officially reported, and spring training draws closer. In this series of articles, TGH is going to be giving an early look at every team’s projected pitching rotations ahead of Opening Day on March 30. Here is the 2023 pitching rotation for the Tampa Bay Rays.
**Note: As these are very early projections, the pitching rotations are subject to change before the season officially begins.**
The Tampa Bay Rays finished 2022 with an 86-76 record, which was good enough to make the postseason. They were the third and final Wild Card team in the playoffs, losing to the Guardians in a WC Series Sweep.
1. Shane McClanahan
2022 stats: 12-8, 2.54 ERA, 166.1 IP, 47 ER
McClanahan’s 2022 campaign earned him his first All-Star nod in just his second year in the MLB. His impressive 2.54 ERA and almost 200 strikeouts helped him finish sixth in Cy Young voting last year.
2. Jeffrey Springs
2022 stats: 9-5, 2.46 ERA, 135.1 IP, 37 ER
Springs posted an ERA even better than McClanahan’s, albeit in 31 fewer innings. He started 25 games and made eight more appearances in 2022, but the amount of run support he received only set him four games over .500, which is odd for such an impressive season.
3. Drew Rasmussen
2022 stats: 11-7, 2.84 ERA, 146.0 IP, 46 ER
The Rays have been known for their fantastic pitching over the last few seasons, and Rasmussen was no exception. He, too, posted an ERA under 3.00 and managed the most strikeouts of his career (125) by a wide margin.
4. Zach Eflin
2022 stats: 3-5, 4.04 ERA, 75.2 IP, 34 ER
Eflin’s innings pitched took a bit of a dive in 2022, and was only the second time in five seasons in which he pitched fewer than 100. He appeared in 20 games, started 13 and recorded one save.
5. Josh Fleming
2022 stats: 2-5, 6.43 ERA, 35.0 IP, 25 ER
Fleming’s high ERA can be attributed to his low workload, as he posted a 5.09 in 2021 with over 100 innings pitched. He’ll get some looks as a starter but knowing how the Rays use their pitchers, he might be an “opener” or another bullpen piece by the end of the season.
Stay tuned for more breaking MLB content, including trade deadline information, power rankings and more news from every team.
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