TAMPA – Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot was elevated to Opening Day starter following the damage to ace left-hander Shane McClanahan, supervisor Kevin Money stated previous to Sunday’s 3-3 Grapefruit League tie towards the Yankees at Steinbrenner Discipline.
Pepiot, Sunday’s scheduled starter towards the Yankees, was 8-8 with a 3.60 ERA final season, his first with the Rays after being acquired in a commerce with the Dodgers in December 2023.
“Pepiot’s physique of labor was actually spectacular final 12 months,’’ Money stated. “It made sense [to name Pepiot as Opening Day starter], given how the rotation was put in place to start with.
“He stated it was not essentially the way in which he wished it [an Opening Day start], being teammate, however I advised him he’s acquired to discover a option to separate that as a result of it’s a massive honor to pitch on Opening Day.’’
Money stated the Rays determine to observe Pepiot with Taj Bradley, Drew Rasmussen, Shane Baz and Zack Littell in a five-man beginning rotation.
With McClanahan anticipated to overlook a while, his roster spot was stuffed by bullpen arm Hunter Bigge, who had been beforehand despatched to the Minors.
McClanahan was a couple of days away from making his first regular-season look since Aug. 2, 2023, when he was lifted with tightness on the surface of his forearm. That led to Tommy John surgical procedure on Aug. 21, 2023, and he missed all the 2024 season. McClanahan additionally had Tommy John surgical procedure in 2016, which brought about him to overlook his first school season on the College of South Florida.
Earlier than studying specifics on McClanahan’s damage severity, Money stated the pitcher was understandably annoyed over his newest setback.
“I talked to Shane [Saturday] and he was fairly upset,’’ Money stated. “I feel ‘unhappy’ is one of the simplest ways to explain it. He was like, ‘I really feel like I’ve finished all the pieces I presumably may to get myself able to pitch, then this occurs.’
“I feel the message from all of us is, sure, we agree with you. However we have now seen that that is what takes place with a few of these pitcher accidents and arm accidents. It’s not for an absence of rehab or an absence of effort. Getting back from his earlier damage and being ready to pitch, he did all the pieces he wanted to do. It’s simply unlucky.’’
Money stated it was incumbent on the Rays’ workers to choose up the early-season slack.
“You don’t change Shane McClanahan,’’ Money stated. “There’s solely one in every of them. However that is the place [Rays management] does such job of understanding that you just’re going to want so many essential contributors all through the course of the season. Thankfully for us, we really feel like we have now [depth], however each damage takes a toll. Each damage cuts into your depth a bit of bit extra. So we have to do all the pieces we are able to to proceed to stop these [injuries].’’
