ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The outcome was ugly, but these type of games are going to happen, even to a team that opened the season with three straight wins.
But it is the circumstances the Rays find themselves in after the 13-2 loss to Oakland that are concerning.
Specifically the status of their starting pitching.
Luis Patino left Monday’s game after just 13 pitches with a left oblique strain that, depending on the severity, could keep him out for two months. Ryan Yarbrough already had gone on the injured list earlier Monday due to left groin tightness, and Shane Baz is shelved until at least late May because of an elbow issue.
Those three being hurt — although Yarbrough supposedly will only miss a week — leaves the Rays a bit short on starters.
(And short enough overall on arms that outfielder Brett Phillips pitched the final two innings Monday.)
Plus, the Rays are trying to be cautious, due to the abbreviated spring and for other health reasons with the arms they do have.
Drew Rasmussen, for example, is lined up to start Thursday, but the Rays are listing TBD for the series finale against the A’s, which may be a way to give Rasmussen, whose innings are going to be limited anyway, an extra day with Josh Fleming or Jalen Beeks stepping in or working behind an opener.
And because of Patino’s early departure, and an ineffective and abbreviated outing by Chris Mazza, who allowed eight runs (six earned) in allowing seven hits (three homers) over three innings, the Rays had to use three other relievers — J.P. Feyereisen, Ryan Thompson and Jason Adam — before bringing in Phillips, whose usual energy and enthusiasm was on full display on the mound.
Phillips had arguably their most effective inning, working a five-pitch eighth. Clocking 46 mph at times, he got a deep flyout, allowed an infield single and then got a double play grounder. But in the ninth, he gave up a grand slam.
Patino appeared to be in obvious discomfort after his second pitch to the fourth batter of the first inning, squatting on the mound and grabbing his left side before manager Kevin Cash and athletic trainer Aaron Scott came out to the mound.
Patino had been delayed during the spring with shoulder discomfort and only pitched in two spring games, logging 3 2/3 innings, but the Rays said they were confident he was healthy. He hit 95 mph on several fastballs Monday, which is close to his average, so his arm seemed to be okay as he started the game.
Patino retired leadoff man Tony Kemp on a ground ball, allowed a bloop double to Elvis Andrus and got Billy McKinney on a fly out, then was ahead of Sean Murphy 0-2 when he was hurt. The game was over soon after, as Mazza hit Murphy, then allowed a three-run homer to Seth Brown and a solo shot to Chad Pinder. He allowed four more runs in the second, with an error by Taylor Walls, who was playing second base, factoring in.
On the plus side, Wander Franco had his third three-hit game in the first four of the season.
