The Tampa Bay Rays don't have a team that looks to be a contender in 2015, but their starting pitching was expected to help give them a chance in the wide open AL East. That's looking grim now as well.
Alex Cobb (forearm), Drew Smyly (shoulder) and Alex Colome (pneumonia) have been sidelined for quite some time due to their ailments and they probably won't be ready for the beginning of the regular season. Cobb was cleared to play catch on Monday; Smyly was cleared to throw live batting practice this Wednesday; and Colome is expected to throw live batting practice on Friday.
With three of their projected top five starters way behind schedule, the Rays could be looking to execute a trade if their in-house options don't prove they can step up. Those candidates include Matt Andriese, Erasmo Ramirez, Burch Smith and Everett Teaford, among others, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Chris Archer, Nathan Karns and Jake Odorizzi will begin the season as the team's top three starters, so the previously mentioned names will compete for the No. 4 spot since the Rays don't need a fifth starter until April 14. By that time one of the injured pitchers could be ready to return.
Andriese is the leading candidate after following up a good 2014 campaign in Triple-A Durham (11-8 with a 3.77 ERA and 1.238 WHIP in 162 1/3 innings) with a solid spring training (1-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 19.1 innings).
But that may not be enough.
"...the team is also looking outside, and this is the week veterans who aren't going to make other teams are cut loose," writes Topkin. "Among possibilities the Rays appear to be considering are Wandy Rodriguez (who is in camp with the Braves); Bruce Chen and Shawn Marcum (Indians); and Clayton Richard (Pirates)."
Tampa Bay would obviously target someone who can fill in temporarily since their rotation will be set once everyone returns from injury, including Matt Moore, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and should be back by May or June. They already acquired Ramirez from Seattle on Tuesday, but he has only made 35 starts in three season.
It all depends what manager Kevin Cash prefers. Aside from the starting rotation, he also must deal with deciding on a backup catcher, the final spots in the bullpen and backup infielders. The starting rotation is the most pressing issue and that decision should come by the end of the week.
