Blake Snell has chance to show he belongs in Rays’ loaded rotation
When you’re armed with excellent pitching depth, there’s no harm in showing it off from time to time. And really, there’s no better place to show it off than New York.
As Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported on Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays are doing just that by calling up their top prospect, left-hander Blake Snell, to make his MLB debut on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
[Fantasy outlook: Rays calling up prospect Blake Snell for weekend start]
Snell, the No. 52 overall pick in the 2011 amateur draft, didn’t have a ton of hype surrounding his climb through the minor league ranks. That was, until last season, when he essentially forced his way into the Rays plans by dominating at the High-A, Double-A and Triple-A levels. All told, Snell pitched 134 innings, struck out 163 batters, won 15 games and posted a 1.41 ERA.
It was obvious it was only a matter of time before Snell got his opportunity at the big-league level, but now the question becomes where will he fit in.
The Rays early season schedule has only necessitated the use of a spot fifth starter behind regulars Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Matt Moore and Drew Smyly, so it seems likely this will only be a short-term callup or a showcase of sorts as compared to his “arrival.” Manager Kevin Cash essentially confirmed that on Friday.
The first time Tampa needed a fifth starter they called upon Erasmo Ramirez, who pitched 5.2 scoreless innings against the White Sox to pick up a win. However, since Ramirez was needed in relief on Thursday — and actually picked up his fourth win, tying Chris Sale for the league lead — he’s not available to make Saturday’s spot start. Hence, the opportunity for Snell.
Based on their schedule, the Rays wouldn’t need a fifth starter again for another two weeks. However, if Snell impresses perhaps there’s an outside chance he can continue his trend of forcing his way into their plans.
That might not be the worst thing in the big picture for Tampa Bay with Archer off to a slow start and both Moore and Smyly as guys not far removed from major injuries. A little extra time between starts might do everyone some good and allow the Rays to set up a truly five-deep rotation. Then the next question would be what happens when Alex Cobb returns from Tommy John surgery. That’s not expected until July though, so chances are that question would answer itself in the meantime.
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Of course, the issue of team control and Snell’s arbitration status is also relevant to his near term future. By waiting to recall him on Saturday, the Rays have guaranteed he can only reach 163 days of service time this season, meaning they’ll hold on to the extra year of control, which would run through the 2022 season. On the other side of the coin, recalling him in April and keeping him on the roster would put him on track for Super Two status, which would mean a fourth season of arbitration and ultimately a larger financial commitment.
Based on their typically frugal past, it’s not surprising the Rays are leaning toward sending him right back down. But here’s hoping Snell’s performance ends up as the ultimate determining factor.
Regardless of all that though, Saturday’s outing will certainly be a must-see for baseball fans as we catch another glimpse of the game’s bright future.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
