Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Requires Tommy John surgery
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Kittredge (elbow) will require Tommy John surgery, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Manager Kevin Cash revealed Thursday that Kittredge would require a procedure to remove a loose body from his elbow, but the nature of the surgery will be worse than initially anticipated. The right-hander was part of the closing mix for the Rays but could be sidelined until late in the 2023 season. Colin Poche, Jason Adam and Ryan Thompson will be among the top high-leverage options with Kittredge unavailable.
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Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Transferred to 60-day IL
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Kittredge (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Kittredge was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday, but with him set to undergo Tommy John surgery, the Rays moved him to the longer of the injured lists to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. Kittredge's recovery period will likely take around a year, so don't expect to see him back with the big club until the summer of 2023.
Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Slated to miss at least a month
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Manager Kevin Cash said Thursday that Kittredge will likely require surgery to remove a loose body from his elbow, and he's expected to miss at least a month, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Kittredge landed on the injured list due to right elbow discomfort earlier Thursday, and he'll miss more than the 15-day minimum following his procedure. He should have a better return timetable once he resumes throwing, but Kittredge's absence should lead to more high-leverage work for Colin Poche, Jason Adam and Ryan Thompson as the Rays utilize a committee-based approach in the late innings.
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Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Placed on 15-day IL
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Kittredge (elbow) was placed of the 15-day injured list Thursday.
Kittredge stumbled in his last outing Tuesday, allowing an earned run on two hits and walk versus the Cardinals. It's possible that he started to feel off in that outing and he is now going to miss at least half a month while dealing with right elbow discomfort. It's always a challenge to predict the length of absence for pitchers, especially when it comes to an elbow issue, so it's possible he misses extended time. Calvin Faucher was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Thursday to fill his spot in the bullpen. Colin Poche could be Tampa Bay's primary option for saves since J.P. Feyereisen (shoulder) is also on the shelf.
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Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Stumbles in setup role
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Kittredge allowed an earned run on two hits and a walk while striking out one in the eighth inning Tuesday against the Cardinals.
Kittredge entered the game in the eighth inning with a one-run lead. He retired the two batters he faced with little trouble but allowed a walk and consecutive singles to cough up the advantage. Kittredge has made two appearances since returning from the injured list Sunday, with neither coming in a save situation. It's possible that the team wants to ease him back into the closer role, but they have also utilized a fairly successful committee of Colin Poche and Brooks Raley -- among others -- to close out games.
Kittredge (back) was activated from the 15-day injured list prior to Sunday's game against the White Sox, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
J.P. Feyereisen (shoulder) is on the injured list, and Collin Poche is the most recent Rays reliever to get a save. Kittredge struck out one and allowed one hit in a scoreless inning on his rehab assignment. He could slot right back into high-leverage work Sunday.
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Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Nearing return
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Kittredge (back) rejoined the Rays on Saturday and will likely be activated in the coming days, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Kittredge made a rehab appearance at Triple-A Durham on Friday and allowed a hit and no walks while striking out one in a scoreless relief inning. Even if he isn't reinstated from the 15-day injured list prior to Saturday's game against the White Sox, it seems likely that he'll rejoin the active roster either Sunday or ahead of Tuesday's series opener against the Cardinals.
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Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Set for rehab appearance Friday
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Manager Kevin Cash indicated that Kittredge (back) will make a rehab appearance for Triple-A Durham on Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Kittredge won't be quite ready for activation from the IL when first eligible Friday, but he indicated earlier in the process that he may only need a rehab appearance or two, so his return to the bullpen may not be too far off. He should move back into a high-leverage role once he's cleared to return, especially given that J.P. Feyereisen (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day IL on Friday.
The Rays placed Kittredge (back) on the 15-day injured list Sunday.
The transaction is retroactive Thursday, three days after Kittredge made his most recent appearance out of the Tampa Bay bullpen. The Rays were hopeful that Kittredge would need only a few days of rest to overcome his bout with lower-back tightness, but he didn't progress quite as quickly as anticipated. While Kittredge -- Tampa Bay's team leader with five saves -- is sidelined, the Rays could turn to Brooks Raley as their main option at closer.
Kittredge has been bothered by a back injury recently and didn't pitch in Friday's extra-innings loss to the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Although Friday's matchup lasted 13 innings, manager Kevin Cash wanted to stay away from Kittredge due to his back issue. It's not yet clear whether the right-hander will be available later in the series against Baltimore, but Brooks Raley could see more save chances if Kittredge isn't healthy.
Kittredge (3-1) allowed a solo home run in the ninth inning to take the loss Monday against Detroit.
Kittredge entered the game in the top of the ninth inning with the score knotted at two. He recorded two outs without incident but then allowed the game-winning home run to Harold Castro. While Kittredge still appears to be Tampa Bay's preferred closer, he has served up three home runs across his last 5.2 innings of work. In that span, he's been charged with two blown saves and a loss. If the team opts to look elsewhere in the ninth inning, Brooks Raley appears to be the likeliest candidate.
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Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Notches fifth save
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Kittredge allowed one hit in a scoreless inning and earned a save over the Blue Jays on Sunday.
Kittredge needed just eight pitches to finish off the 3-0 victory Sunday. After blowing two straight save chances, he's turned in two consecutive scoreless appearances with one save and a win. The 32-year-old is now sporting a 2.65 ERA with five saves through 17 frames this season.
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Rays' Andrew Kittredge: Struggles continue
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Kittredge allowed two earned runs on three hits across 0.2 innings Wednesday against the Angels.
Kittredge entered the game in the eighth inning with a two-run lead, but he quickly blew the advantage by surrendering a home run to Taylor Ward. It's not clear whether the Rays were planning for Kittredge to record a six-out save -- he's worked two innings in three appearances this season -- or if he was working as the setup man. Regardless, he has now allowed three earned runs across his last 2.2 innings spanning two outings. Kittredge's overall numbers remain strong as he's maintained a 3.00 ERA and 0.80 WHIP with a 12:1 K:BB across 15 innings. However, he's served up three home runs and may start to cede save chances more regularly to Brooks Raley if his struggles continue.
