Tampa Bay Rays starter Alex Cobb pitched seven scoreless innings in their 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. Unfortunately for the injury-plagued Rays and their young starter, Cobb suffered a left-oblique strain and was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday.
Cobb’s performance against the Reds netted him his first win of the season, but he’s not likely to see action again this month. The 24-year-old righty finished last season with an 11-3 record and a 2.76 ERA. He joins Matt Moore and Jeremy Hellickson as members of the Rays’ rotation currently on the disabled list. Tampa Bay is still deciding what to do with Moore, who suffered a a partial tear ulnar-collateral ligament of his left elbow last week. The two sides are waiting on a second opinion and it’s possible Moore could have to undergo Tommy John Surgery.
Pro Baseball Reference: Pitchers who represented 44 percent of the Rays’ wins last year on the DL.
Moore and Cobb combined for a 28-7 record last season. That’s amazing on of itself, but also troubling moving forward. Tampa Bay was just a .500 team last year when those two didn’t record a decision. As it relates to Hellickson, he’s a bottom of the rotation guy who has won double-digit games in each of the last three seasons.
Joe Maddon and the Rays have done a tremendous job building depth in their organization, especially from a pitching standpoint. With three of their regular starters currently on the shelf, that depth is going to be tested. Let’s hope Moore receives good news and Cobb is able to return to full health by early May. The Rays are going to need that in order to maintain the success we have seen over the past few seasons.
Photo: Frank Victores, USA Today