Fairbanks has not given up a run in his two Grapefruit League appearances.
Fairbanks has allowed just one hit so far in his two games, and he's struck out two while not issuing a walk, although he did put a runner on via a hit-by-pitch. The right-hander signed a three-year extension with the Rays in January after registering a 1.13 ERA and 38:3 K:BB over 24 innings, and he has a chance to see a good share of the save opportunities for Tampa Bay during the 2023 season.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Signs three-year extension
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Fairbanks signed a three-year, $12 million contract extension with the Rays on Friday, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Passan adds that the arbitration-covering deal includes a $7 million fourth-year club option, which could potentially secure what would have been Fairbanks' first year of free-agent eligibility. The 29-year-old right-hander again had to contend with injuries in 2022, but he dominated to the tune of a 1.13 ERA and 38:3 K:BB ratio in 24 innings when healthy. Fairbanks currently projects as the favorite for saves in Tampa Bay leading into the 2023 campaign, though history suggests the closer role will be a carousel as the season plays out. It's just how the Rays tend to operate.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Leaves with numb finger
Rotowire
Fairbanks' early exit from his appearance Saturday against the Guardians was due to a numb right index finger, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The news lines up with reports that Fairbanks told a team trainer he couldn't feel his hand as he left the game. Fairbanks had reduced velocity and minimal control in his brief outing, walking the only two batters he faced.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Exits with injury
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Fairbanks exited Saturday's wild-card game against the Guardians with an apparent hand injury, Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun reports.
The exact nature of Fairbanks' injury is not yet clear, but he appeared to tell a team trainer than he couldn't feel his hand as he left the game. He clearly wasn't right during his brief outing, walking both batters he faced while showing reduced velocity.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Picks up eighth save
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Fairbanks struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to earn the save during Sunday's win over the Rangers.
While the Rays have used a committee-based approach in the ninth inning for most of the season, Fairbanks has established himself as the favorite for save chances over the last two weeks. The right-hander has converted saves in each of his last four outings and has tossed 19 scoreless innings over 19 appearances since July 25. The team has several other late-relief options that could pick up the occasional save down the stretch, but Fairbanks should continue to see the bulk of the closing duties as long as he remains dominant.
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Rays' Peter Fairbanks: Possible waiver wire pickups
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Fairbanks' save Tuesday gives him three of the Rays' past four and makes him the new presumptive closer in a bullpen that famously has none. A contradiction, you say? While you can't trust manager Kevin Cash with these things, he has had stretches when he's treated a particular reliever like a conventional closer, and he may be on the verge of doing that with Fairbanks. Jason Adam gives him another lockdown righty for the late innings, after all. Fairbanks has always had killer stuff but has done a better job of controlling it since returning from a strained lat in mid-July, leading to ace reliever numbers. Even if he's only good for two or three saves the rest of the way, it's probably preferable to the combustibility of, say, a Jose Leclerc.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Nails down seventh save
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Fairbanks gave up a hit and struck out two over 1.1 scoreless innings Tuesday to record his seventh save of the season in the first game of a doubleheader against the Blue Jays.
After Shawn Armstrong gave up a couple runs in the eighth inning to make the score 4-2 and ruin Tampa Bay's combined shutout bid, Fairbanks got the call to squash the rally and notch the save. All seven of the right-hander's saves have come since the All-Star break, and he sports an eye-popping 0.95 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and 28:2 K:BB through 19 innings in the second half while also chipping in five holds.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Another stifling ninth
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Fairbanks picked up the save in Wednesday's 1-0 victory over the Red Sox, allowing one walk while striking out two in the ninth inning.
Fairbanks has been dominant since making his season debut in mid-July, and he hasn't given up a run and has a 26:2 K:BB over his past 17 outings. The righty's 1.45 ERA and 0.70 WHIP this season would be career-best marks by a significant margin, and he'll remain in the mix for saves down the stretch for the Rays.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Notches fifth save
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Fairbanks allowed one hit and struck out two over a scoreless inning while earning a save over the Red Sox.
Fairbanks worked around a leadoff single by Reese McGuire to finish off the 4-3 victory. The hard-throwing righty is now riding a 15.2-inning scoreless streak, lowering his season ERA to 1.53 with a 26:1 K:BB through 18 appearances. He's now converted all five of his save chances, though Monday's was his first since Aug. 21.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Notches fourth save
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Fairbanks earned the save Sunday, striking out one in a perfect inning in a 3-2 victory over Kansas City.
Fairbanks recorded a save for the second straight day against the Royals and is 4-for-4 in save chances on the season. The 28-year-old spent the first three-plus months on the injured list with a lat injury and, upon returning, allowed a homer on the first pitch he threw. He has not allowed another earned run since then, tossing 12.2 innings. In August, he's thrown 7.2 scoreless innings, allowed just three hits and a walk and struck out 11 batters. Tampa Bay's closer committee continues to be unpredictable, but Fairbanks is clearly in the mix to get chances.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Picks up third save
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Fairbanks struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Saturday against the Royals.
Fairbanks followed Brooks Raley and Jason Adam into the game and protected a three-run lead to earn his third save of the season. It was Fairbanks' first save since July 30, and he has now turned in 10 consecutive scoreless appearances. Overall, he has maintained a 2.31 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 16:1 K:BB across 11.2 innings on the season. Given that success, the Rays may opt to use him in the highest-leverage situations rather than reserve him for the ninth inning.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Tallies second save
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Fairbanks allowed two hits and struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save Saturday against the Guardians.
Fairbanks successfully protected a two-run lead despite allowing the tying run to reach base. He now has two saves on the season and has served as the closer in each of the Rays' last two victories. Though it's difficult to project the ninth-inning role in Tampa Bay, it appears as if Fairbanks is the preferred option for the time being.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Notches first save
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Fairbanks earned a save against the Orioles on Wednesday, striking out one batter in a perfect 10th inning.
Tampa Bay had a chance to win in regulation, but Colin Poche blew a save opportunity in the ninth inning. After the Rays scored twice in the top of the 10th, Fairbanks was summoned to close things out and succeeded on only 11 pitches. This was the right-hander's fourth outing since making his season debut July 17, and it was the first time he has gotten through an appearance without allowing a baserunner. No reliever appears likely to be given the role of full-time closer in the Rays' system, so Fairbanks could earn an additional save chance or two along the way, but he doesn't currently appear to be among the top choices in such situations.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Comes off IL
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Fairbanks (lat) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Sunday.
Fairbanks will return to the Rays after missing the entirety of the season to this point after tearing his lat in late March. The reliever will provide a boost to the team's bullpen after Jalen Beeks (leg) was placed on the 15-day IL Sunday. Fairbanks produced a 3.59 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with 56 strikeouts over 42.2 innings in 47 appearances last season.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Weekend return possible
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Fairbanks (lat) could return Saturday or Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Fairbanks has been out all year after tearing his lat in March, but he may be back in time to make an appearance prior to the All-Star break. If he pitches well, he could carve out a role in the Rays' closer committee, though the team is unlikely to appoint him or anyone else as their dedicated ninth-inning man.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: In midst of rehab stint
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Fairbanks (lat) threw 0.2 innings while allowing three runs (none earned) on two hits while striking out two during a rehab appearance with Triple-A Durham on Sunday.
Fairbanks has yet to appear in a game this season after suffering the injury during spring training. He is likely to make several appearances with Durham but is in line to return around the All-Star break, per Adam Berry of MLB.com. Fairbanks recorded five saves in 2021, and he could be in the closer mix in the final months of the campaign.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Live BP on tap
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Fairbanks (lat) will throw live batting practice on Monday before pitching in a Florida Complex League game Thursday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
The 28-year-old has been cleared to face live hitters and if all goes well Monday will advance to game action. Following the FCL appearance, Fairbanks is then expected to join Triple-A Durham for what's likely to be multiple rehab appearances since he's been sidelined since late March by the lat strain.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Gearing up to face hitters
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Rays manager Kevin Cash said Fairbanks (lat) could be ready to face hitters in live batting practice June 27, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Fairbanks will likely continue to ramp up through bullpen sessions this week before the Rays determine if he's ready to take the next step forward in his throwing progression. The 28-year-old was expected to hold a key late-inning role for the Rays in 2022 but he has yet to make his season debut after suffering a right lat strain late in spring training.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Heads to 60-day IL
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Fairbanks (lat) was placed on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Fairbanks is expected to miss at least three months after he was diagnosed with a 50 percent tear of his lat muscle last week. Andrew Kittredge is a favorite to see save chances to begin the year, while a better timetable for Fairbanks' return will likely come into focus once his six-week shutdown from throwing concludes.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Receives injection
Rotowire
Fairbanks will receive a PRP injection to address his torn lat muscle, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Fairbanks has been shut down from throwing for six weeks and isn't expected to return to the active roster until July. The Rays will likely continue to plan their bullpen around high-leverage situations rather than traditional roles, but Fairbanks' absence leaves Andrew Kittredge looking more alone than expected as a top-tier option for the late innings.
