The Tampa Bay Rays have made the decision to place struggling closer Pete Fairbanks on the 15-day injured list due to nerve-related issues before their game against the Detroit Tigers. Fairbanks has been dealing with numbness in his fingers on and off for the past few years, and the problem resurfaced over the weekend.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash explained that Fairbanks experienced discomfort while playing catch on Saturday, receiving treatment throughout the day. Despite hoping he would be ready to play on Sunday, the issue persisted before the game. Fairbanks has undergone some tests on his shoulder and arm, with more testing scheduled to help identify the root of the problem.
Fairbanks has struggled this season, posting a 9.00 ERA in eight games, allowing eight runs in seven innings. The Rays called up reliever Kevin Kelly from Triple-A Durham to fill his roster spot. In the meantime, the Rays plan to rotate different pitchers like Colin Poche, Jason Adam, Shawn Armstrong, and Garrett Cleavinger in the closer role based on matchups.