Rays’ Tyler Glasnow sidelined until at least mid- to late April
LAKE BUENA VISTA — The Rays’ top right-handed starter, Tyler Glasnow, will be sidelined until at least mid- to late April due to a left oblique strain.
Glasnow was injured Monday throwing live batting practice at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. A Tuesday morning MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain, and an initial timetable that he will need six to eight weeks to return to major-league game action. Opening day is March 30.
“We’ll just see,” manager Kevin Cash said after a 12-0 win over the Yankees. “They all respond a little bit differently. I think what (head athletic trainer Joe Benge) has given me is that we’ll have a better assessment after about 10 days. See how Tyler’s feeling and we’ll go from there.”
Glasnow, 29, returned to action in late September last year, having been sidelined since a June 2021 elbow injury that led to Tommy John surgery and installation of a brace. Injuries have been somewhat of an issue during his career; over parts of seven seasons with the Pirates and Rays he has pitched in 106 games (67 starts) and thrown 409 2/3 innings.
If there was a positive to be drawn from the injury, Cash said it will make it easier to manage Glasnow’s overall innings total; he was going to be limited in his return to the rotation.
“It gives us better workload management for him so he’s not yelling at me every time I take him out in the fifth inning,” Cash said.
With Glasnow out, Yonny Chirinos (who worked a one-hit inning Tuesday) and Luis Patino would seem the most likely choices to join the rotation, though Cash said lefty Josh Fleming, top prospect Taj Bradley and non-roster invitee Cooper Criswell are among “plenty” of candidates.
“The front office has done a really good job of giving us a lot of options,” he said. “Nobody’s gonna come in and fill Tyler’s shoes. They don’t have to. But I bet that Tyler will work really hard to get back as soon as possible. And I would also bet on the flip side, whoever that fifth option becomes, is going to help us.”
Springs sharp in spring debut
Lefty Jeffrey Springs worked two perfect innings in his first spring outing, parlaying an 11-pitch first into the chance to go back out for a second, and he was pleased overall, throwing 18 strikes out of 29 overall.
“I felt like the stuff was pretty good,” he said. “It nice to get the up-down (of working a second inning) and kind of see somebody else stepping in the box. I’ll take it for the first one.”
His only disappointment was that the pitch clocks were not working, which he noticed after a couple pitches and was told by home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt to “keep it moving.” The scoreboard also was out the first few innings.
“As the game speed goes I tend to work a little quicker, so I was curious to see how quickly I could work,” Springs said.
Columnist John Romano will send the latest Rays insights and analysis to keep you updated weekly during the season.
Game details: Rays 12, Yankees 0
Lefty-swinging outfielder Luke Raley, competing for a roster spot and out of options, hit his second homer in three games, and to leftfield. He will also start getting some playing time at first base. “Luke’s swung the bat really well,” Cash said. “Obviously a pretty big camp for him.” … Infielder Osleivis Basabe, a November addition to the 40-man roster, has also impressed early, with two hits Tuesday and a 4-for-6 start. “He hits the ball really hard,” Cash said. … Jonathan Aranda hit a three-run homer, as the Rays (2-2) rapped 15 hits off a crew of mostly Yankees minor-leaguers. … The game was played in 2:30 with an announced attendance of 9,624. ... The Rays wore Orlando Rays caps as a tribute to their Double-A team that played at Disney from 2000-03.
Infielder Taylor Walls said he is hoping to start baseball activity Thursday, having been sidelined by a right oblique issue that started to bother him a few days before reporting to camp. “It ended up being a little worse than what I thought, so they said better off to take care of it now than to have it linger throughout spring training or even get worse,” he said. … Reliever Shawn Armstrong said his sore neck has improved with treatment and he hopes to start playing catch Friday.
Miscellany
Players not making Wednesday’s trip to North Port get the day off to give Tyler Wall’s clubhouse staff time to move the 81 players, Cash, 11 coaches and dozens of staff into Tropicana Field as major-league camp shifts west from Disney. … Shane McClanahan will make his first spring outing vs. the Braves: “(Wednesday) feels like the start of my season.” … The Rays improved to 7-0 as the home team at Disney, having swept the regular-season series in 2007-08. … With the Rays forced to relocate spring camp after Hurricane Ian caused damage to their Port Charlotte facility, Cash lauded the accommodations at Disney for the first two weeks: “This could not have worked out any better. We’re incredibly appreciative and fortunate that we are able to have access to this facility and get everything we needed to get done.”
