Jax pitches 3 innings in rehab start; next turn might be in Rays' rotation
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BALTIMORE -- The Rays are one step closer to having a fully healthy rotation after right-hander Griffin Jax worked three innings in a Minor League rehab start for Triple-A Durham on Sunday afternoon.
Jax, who is on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow discomfort, threw 42 pitches (25 strikes) against Triple-A Gwinnett at Gwinnett Field. He added an inning to his workload after throwing 25 pitches over two innings in a simulated game last Tuesday at Tropicana Field.
Jax was scratched from his scheduled start in Seattle on Aug. 8, went on the IL the next day and received an injection to “calm the back of the elbow down” after undergoing testing with Dr. Keith Meister on Aug. 10 in Dallas. He moved quickly after that, throwing off the mound before facing teammates Jake Fraley and Gavin Lux at the Trop.
Jax continued his progression on Sunday. The right-hander allowed three runs in a 23-pitch first inning on a leadoff walk, a single, a two-run double and another RBI single.
But he was efficient and effective after that, striking out two batters in a nine-pitch second then working around a walk in a 10-pitch third. According to Statcast, he threw each of his six pitches at least once during the outing.
It’s not yet clear what will come next for Jax. If he follows the same trajectory as Shane McClanahan, he could jump straight from one rehab start to the big league staff.
Jax’s return will also give the Rays more starters than spots, assuming they stick with a five-man rotation, as he is set to join Drew Rasmussen, McClanahan, Nick Martinez, Freddy Peralta and Ian Seymour in the starting staff. Tampa Bay could handle that in a number of ways, including “piggybacking” two of those starters, like Jax and Seymour.
Jax has already thrown a career-high 91 2/3 innings for the Rays this season, having made a successful transition in late April from the bullpen to the rotation. In 18 starts between April 26 and Aug. 2, Jax went 5-7 with a 3.16 ERA and 90 strikeouts over 82 2/3 innings.