Rays CL Boxberger (core muscle) out 8 weeks

Rays closer Brad Boxberger will miss the next eight weeks after having surgery to repair a core muscle, manager Kevin Cash told reporters Friday. That puts him on track to return sometime in the middle of May.

With Boxberger out, Cash said he will go with a closer by committee and rely on matchups in the ninth inning.

Righty Alex Colome and lefty Xavier Cedeno seem like good bets to see ninth inning work during Boxberger’s absence. Steven Geltz and Danny Farquhar could be in the mix as well.

Boxberger, 27, led the AL with 41 saves in 2015 and was an All-Star for the first time. He did, however, suffer 10 losses and pitch to a 3.71 ERA (107 ERA+) with a 1.37 WHIP last year, which is not great by closer standards.

In 2014 Boxberger had a 2.37 ERA (158 ERA+) with a 0.84 WHIP. His strikeout (14.5 K/9 to 10.6 K/9) and walk (2.8 BB/9 to 4.6 BB/9) rates both declined from 2014-15 as well. The Rays recently renewed Boxberger’s contract and cut his salary after the two sides were unable to agree to a deal.

Brad Boxberger will miss eight weeks following core muscle surgery. (USATSI)

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