Littell (0-5) took the loss Tuesday, giving up three runs on six hits and one walk over six innings as the Rays were downed 5-1 by the Diamondbacks. He struck out two.
The right-hander delivered his second straight quality start and third in five trips to the mound on 99 pitches (61 strikes), but he once again couldn't get into the win column. Tampa Bay has scored a total of five runs in Littell's five outings, which certainly isn't helping his chances of collecting a win, but he's also served up eight homers in 29 innings to begin the season -- including two in Tuesday's loss. Littell will carry a 5.28 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 21:7 K:BB into his next start, which lines up to come on the road this weekend in San Diego.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Another tough-luck loss Wednesday
Rotowire
Littell (0-4) took the loss Wednesday against the Red Sox after allowing one run on five hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out five.
Wednesday marked the second time already this year that the right-hander was charged with the loss despite firing six innings of one-run ball. David Hamilton's third-inning solo home run wouldn't have been a homer in any other MLB ballpark, according to Statcast, and Littell also notably escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning. Despite carrying a respectable 1.26 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB across 23 innings (four starts) in 2025, Littell's 5.48 ERA makes him tough to trust from a fantasy perspective in Arizona for his next turn through the rotation.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Hit hard in third loss
Rotowire
Littell (0-3) took the loss Thursday against the Angels, allowing seven runs on eight hits and a walk over four innings. He struck out four.
Littell fell victim to the home-run ball Thursday -- he gave up a solo shot to Taylor Ward on his second pitch of the game before the Angels added five runs on three homers off Littell in the fifth. The 29-year-old Littell has now dropped three straight starts to open the year, posting a 6.88 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB across 17 innings. He's currently lined up for a home matchup with the Red Sox in his next outing.
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Rays' Zack Littell: Drops second straight decision
Rotowire
Littell (0-2) took the loss Friday as the Rays were downed 5-2 by the Rangers, coughing up five runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings. He struck out three.
Most of the damage came in the third inning, when Texas reeled off five straight hits before Littell could record an out. The right-hander has given Tampa Bay some length to begin the year, and through his first two starts he sports a 4.15 ERA and 10:2 K:BB in 13 innings. He'll look to get into the win column in his next outing, which lines up to come at home next week against the Angels.
Littell (0-1) took the loss against the Rockies on Saturday, allowing one run on four hits and no walks with seven strikeouts across six innings.
Littell recorded 14 whiffs on 87 pitches but exited with a 1-0 deficit despite delivering a quality start. It was a strong showing for the 29-year-old after surrendering 12 runs over 13.1 spring innings, and he lines up for a road matchup with the Rangers next weekend.
Rays' Zack Littell: Misstep in rotation competition
Rotowire
Littell allowed six earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two across two innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins.
This marked Littell's second official spring appearance as he continues to compete for a rotation spot to begin the regular season. He didn't help his cause with his results, as he was pulled in two separate innings before returning to build up his pitch count. Following the game, Littell chalked the performance up to simply a bad outing, while manager Kevin Cash expressed optimism that Littell would bounce back, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Perhaps the lone positive was that Littell did reach 72 pitches, suggesting he'll be fully stretched out by Opening Day. Drew Rasmussen, Littell's presumed primary competition, is set to start Saturday's game against the Yankees.
Littell and the Rays avoided arbitration Thursday, agreeing to a one-year, $5.72 million contract, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Littell will receive a raise of just under $4 million in his second year of arbitration, coming off a solid showing in his first season as a full-time starter in the big leagues. He tossed 156.1 innings across his 29 outings with Tampa Bay in 2024, pitching to a 3.63 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 141:31 K:BB. Littell's lack of premium stuff will likely limit his strikeout upside once again in 2025, but his ability to keep walks in check while using of a variety of off-speed offerings to keep hitters off balance may allow him to find continued success as a back-end arm in the Tampa Bay rotation.
Littell (8-10) took the loss Wednesday against Detroit, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and zero walks while striking out seven in 4.2 innings.
Entering Wednesday's action on an 18-inning scoreless streak, Littell immediately served up a leadoff home run to Parker Meadows in the first. Littell was able to settle in afterwards, but the Rays' offense only mustered one run of support in the 7-1 defeat. After starting 18 games over the first six years of his career, Littell started 29 contests for the Rays in 2024, posting a respectable 3.63 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 141:31 K:BB in 156.1 innings (29 starts).
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