Jax embraces opener role as Rays ponder moving him back to rotation

ST. PETERSBURG -- Before turning into a reliable reliever with some of the most impressive stuff in the game, Griffin Jax broke into the Majors with the Twins as a starting pitcher.

Could a move back into the rotation be on the table with the Rays? It seems like a fair question after Jax pitched well as an opener to begin Tampa Bay’s 4-2 victory over his former club on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field.

“Yeah, we’re talking about it,” Jax said after the Rays sealed their third sweep of the season. “I think today was like an example of what it looks like, and we’ll see where it ends up.”

The example was encouraging, especially considering Jax’s early struggles in Tampa Bay’s bullpen. The right-hander allowed just one hit and a walk, struck out two and covered 2 1/3 innings on 31 pitches before bulk-innings reliever Jesse Scholtens took over in the third.

Such a move would hardly be unprecedented. Jax has plenty of experience in the rotation, having pitched as a starter in the Minors and as a Twins rookie in 2021. The 31-year-old has previously expressed interest in starting. He has a six-pitch arsenal, the kind of mix that would allow him to face left-handed and right-handed hitters multiple times in one outing.

And it’s not like the Rays have been averse to the idea. They moved Drew Rasmussen from their bullpen into the rotation in 2021. Jeffrey Springs made a similar transition in ‘22, then Zack Littell did it in ‘23.

Could Sunday’s series finale have been the opening chapter of a similar story?

“We’ll see. I mean, we're going to talk, see how he feels [and] comes in tomorrow,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think we've got a lot to discuss, for sure, but couldn't be more happy with the way he got through two and a third.”

Jax said they talked before the game about having him pitch two innings. With a manageable pitch count, he wound up going back out for the third in his longest appearance (by outs) since another 2 1/3-inning outing on May 31, 2022.

When did Jax realize he was going to pitch into the third inning?

“After the second,” he said, laughing.

That performance set the tone for the Rays’ fourth straight win, which improved their record to 16-11, the second-best mark in the American League. The Rays have won 11 of their last 15 games, combining solid starting pitching with a versatile offense, cleaner defense and a gradually improving bullpen.

“The guys are feeling good. The energy's up,” Scholtens said. “Just good vibes right now, so it’s fun.”

That was all on display on Sunday. Jax did his job. Scholtens pitched around three walks and only allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings. Cole Sulser recorded four outs, and Bryan Baker nailed down his sixth save.

With that kind of pitching, the Rays only needed one productive inning offensively. They got it in the third, with big hits from two of their biggest bats. Jonathan Aranda ripped a two-strike fastball to right-center field for a two-run single, and Yandy Díaz swatted a two-run, opposite-field homer.

“It’s still early, but we're playing really well,” Díaz said through interpreter Kevin Vera. “We know we're in a tough division, but things have been clicking for us, and we've just got to keep that going.”

With Scholtens holding down the spot in the rotation previously occupied by Joe Boyle (right elbow strain), who stepped in for Ryan Pepiot (right hip inflammation), the Rays don’t by any means have to stretch out Jax to start.

A good bullpen is critical to the Rays’ success. And when Jax is on, he’s a high-leverage asset in a relief corps currently missing key arms Edwin Uceta and Garrett Cleavinger.

There were plenty of other reasons for him to open Sunday’s game, too. He hadn’t pitched since Tuesday. Working as an opener has been an effective mental reset for struggling relievers. And it tends to go well for the Rays, who are 110-72 (.604) when using an opener since introducing the concept on May 19, 2018.

“He's really good. He's going to be good for us,” Cash said. “But we found out years ago that sometimes you can reset yourself a little bit, and he seemed to understand that.”

But continuing down this road with Jax is an interesting option for them to consider beyond Sunday -- and one that seems to appeal to him.

“It's just a different mindset,” Jax said. “If you're going in from the start of the game, it just allows you to be a little bit more free, I think, and just to be in more of [an] attack mode and force them to hit it.”