Rays to get even more creative with pitching

This season has forced the Rays to get creative -- even by their standards -- with their pitching plans.

In a 5-4 win over the Astros on Sunday, the Rays sent out veteran left-hander Rich Hill for a three-inning, 44-pitch start -- a shortened outing by design -- then followed him with right-hander Michael Wacha. On Tuesday, rookie lefty Shane McClanahan worked four innings and 21-year-old righty Luis Patiño pitched three innings. On Wednesday, reliever Andrew Kittredge pitched two innings as an opener before Ryan Yarbrough handled four innings as a bulk reliever.

And on Thursday, the Rays started swingman Collin McHugh with lefty Josh Fleming lined up behind him. McHugh became the 11th pitcher to start a game for the Rays this season, matching the Blue Jays for most in the Majors. Of those 11 starters, only three (Tyler Glasnow, Hill and McClanahan) haven’t also worked out of the bullpen in some capacity.

Injuries have forced them to adjust on the fly, but this was what the Rays had in mind for their pitching staff this offseason. Using multiple multi-inning arms on a regular basis will help them present different looks to opposing lineups while managing their pitchers’ workloads as they either break into the Majors (like McClanahan and Patiño) or adjust back to a full, 162-game schedule (and, they hope, more in the postseason).

“Our pitching staff is just built a little differently this year,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We've had more candidates in that flex option. In the past, it's basically been, we've had starters or relievers, and then it turned into opener, bulk guy.

“Well, this year, we've got a bunch of guys that are capable of providing between two and four innings of work, so it has allowed for a little bit of creativity. And then you add a guy like McClanahan and Luis Patiño that you're trying to manage their workload really well and their buildup as they're continuing to develop into this season, so there has been some more creativity.”

They could have a more traditional look this weekend, with Hill, Glasnow and McClanahan listed to start against the A’s in Oakland. But whenever Wacha returns to full health, it’s possible that Hill could shift into more of a multi-inning/opener-type role, similar to the way he pitched Sunday.

Hill has two traits that make him particularly well-suited for such a unique role: a versatile, resilient arm and a willing, team-first attitude.

“I want to win, so however we accomplish that and get to that point,” Hill said. “We had this discussion, and I talked with Kevin and guys in the front office about it. Obviously, that's something that I have agreed upon as well. But my point is that, whatever it takes to get to that position that we need to be in going into October, that's all that matters.”

Around the horn

• Second baseman Brandon Lowe and center fielder Kevin Kiermaier were out of the lineup on Thursday night. Cash said it was just a scheduled day off against Angels lefty Andrew Heaney, but both will return Friday against A’s left-hander Sean Manaea.

• Thursday was the 11th time in 33 games this season that the Rays faced a left-handed starter, and they’re set to face two more this weekend in Oakland. In 60 games last year, the Rays only saw 17 lefty starters. The spate of southpaws has been tough on some of Tampa Bay’s left-handed hitters’ production, most notably Lowe.

Entering Thursday’s game, Lowe was hitting .260/.360/.506 in 89 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers, right in line with his career .265/.351/.508 slash line vs. righties. But he was just 1-for-32 with 14 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances against lefties, and Cash noted that left-handers have hardly given the Rays’ 2020 MVP a fastball in the zone to hit this year.

“In past seasons, it was like, ‘Let me see if I can sneak a fastball by Brandon here,’” Cash said. “And he kind of proved that just didn’t work. He was able to cover it.”

• Prospect Vidal Bruján hit his second home run in as many days for Triple-A Durham on Thursday night, and right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. struck out three of the six hitters he faced in a perfect two-inning appearance as Durham’s opener.

• Cash spoke highly of Albert Pujols, who was designated for assignment by the Angels on Thursday. Pujols is hoping to catch on with another organization this season, but his last at-bat with the Angels was a pop fly against Rays righty Hunter Strickland in the ninth inning of Tampa Bay’s 8-3 win Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.

“The longevity speaks for itself. I have no idea where his career is going to take him. If he didn't play another day, he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer, arguably the best first baseman of all time,” Cash said. “What he's meant to the game of baseball is pretty spectacular. I don't know Albert personally, other than seeing him from across the dugout or across the field, but you read about everything he's done in the communities that he's impacted in such a positive way, you do nothing but wish him the best.”