When Chris Archer returned to Tampa Bay as a free agent, he said one of the first things he told CEO Erik Neander was that he was willing to work in any role that was best for the team. Most of the time, this would mean being an initial pitcher as always. This could also mean launching after an opener.
When Archer makes his official return to the Rays on Saturday, it will mean throwing himself out of the bullring after Rich Hill, another veteran starter incorporated in the offseason. Hill is scheduled to start against the Marlins at loanDepot Park on Saturday night (6:10 ET, live on MLB.TV), and Archer is also scheduled to pitch at some point in the game.
The two veterans will be separated to pitch on different days next time through the rotation, but this deal made sense for both of them given the Rays ’starting schedule and their attention to the pitchers’ workload this time around. season. Tampa Bay has one day off on Sunday and another on Thursday, so you didn’t have to start the season with a traditional five-man rotation.
Instead, Hill and Archer can loosen the season with each throw of a handful of tickets in a kind of tandem outing, which can be quite effective given the different challenges each presents to the mound.
“I think that’s the goal of this first game, to have that contrast, to allow us not to try to carry too much load from the door and I’m looking forward to it,” Archer said. “I’m looking forward to following him and, whenever he calls me, going in and out.”
Manager Kevin Cash said he will talk to pitching coach Kyle Snyder to get an idea of what kind of use Hill and Archer are prepared for and who could return to a higher pitching count when they split up next time. The Rays understand the value of throwing different looks at opposing batsmen and don’t differ much from Hill and Archer. Hill is a left-hander who relies on his curve ball and a fast ball that averaged 89-90 mph in recent years, while Archer throws in the mid-90s with a slider as the main break ball.
“It just comes out and runs,” Hill said. “I think the complementary part will be fantastic, but, again, it comes out and prepares to execute it. This is. That’s really important to me, to Chris, to everyone. “
Archer hasn’t left the bullring in a regular season game since Sept. 29, 2012, but he has an idea of what it takes to prepare for Spring Training. On March 19, Hill made 2 2/3 innings against the Red Sox, then Archer took over in the fourth and worked two clean innings with two attacks.
Archer said he didn’t feel physically ready on that outing, despite the results. So don’t be surprised if you see Archer moving around the bullpen throughout the game or playing long throws on the field between innings and innings.
Archer said he will be so focused on his preparation, in fact, that the meaning of returning to the mound in a Rays uniform for the first time since 2018 may not even sink until he finishes throwing.
“There will be an additional nostalgia, but it will probably be more from the point of view of reflection because at the moment I will have a job to do. And it’s a bit of a foreign job, so I’m going to have to focus on that, “Archer said.” I’m glad we’ve eliminated all of that in the spring. I’ve already released several games. so at the moment, I just have to go out and run, and I’m really looking forward to doing it in blue. “
• Cash said earlier that the Rays intended to involve all players in their position right away, and this proved to be true on Friday as they mixed the bottom half of the lineup. Joey Wendle got the start in the short field, Manuel Margot in the center field and Francisco Mejía behind the plate while Willy Adames, Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Zunino did not start. The top five players remained the same: Yoshi Tsutsugo, Austin Meadows, Randy Arozarena, Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz.
• Thursday was the 37th 1-0 win in club history, but only for the second time in franchise history did the Rays close out on opening day, adding up to a 7-0 victory against the Twins in 2000. Since 1901, at least 44 closings by 1-0 on Opening Day, and the Rays became the first American League club to win a 1-0 game as a visiting team on Opening Day since the 1946 Indians.
• Glasnow Opening Day’s dominant start was his ninth unscored start since joining the Rays. He had none before he was moved to Tampa Bay.
• On Thursday, Austin Meadows became the fourth Rays player with multiple starting games, joining Evan Longoria (four), Gerald Williams and Ben Zobrist (both). It was the ninth time since 1901 that at least one solo race represented the only test of an Opening Day match and the third time it was true for an AL team.