The past weekend for the Rays was disappointing, but it also accentuates the challenges the team faces with Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Yonny Chirinos on the team’s injured list. And let’s not forget Brent Honeywell, who was to help the Rays in the second half. You can argue that’s four of the team’s top six starting pitchers are unavailable.

And that’s not to mention the fact that Jose De Leon and Anthony Banda are in recovery years from Tommy John, and on the minor league side, Jose Mujica, who would have been on pace to help the Rays some time this year had he not been injured.

While the Rays rotation is set up to have Charlie Morton pitch the first and last game of Houston and Cleveland, the greater question is how to navigate the final 30 games with the current rotation short comings. Morton and Ryan Yarbrough are only able to pitch so many innings.

The one break Tampa Bay has is that the rules favor them. This is the last season that allows you to carry up to 40 players in September. That number falls to 28 in 2020 (although you can option players up and down).

This is a rare season where Durham may not make the playoffs (four games back with eight to go). Their season ends on September 2nd, meaning all hands on deck may truly exist then. Even before September first, when more than 25 players can be on the roster, the Rays can manage games on August 30th and 31st more aggressively, knowing that other players are about to get recalled and join them.

Players currently on the 40-man that are pitchers are (in alphabetical order): Banda, De Leon, Peter Fairbanks, Brendan McKay, Hoby Milner and Aaron Slegers. Of that group, four of those pitchers (Banda, De Leon, McKay and Slegers) have provided some sort of length.

While the Rays wait for their injured starters to return, and likely begin as openers as they get stretched out, Tampa Bay can manage its staff differently. Rather than rely on Jalen Beeks and/or Austin Pruitt to soak up as many innings as possible, Tampa Bay could tandem start.

For instance, pair up a lefty like Beeks with a righty like De Leon, or McKay with Pruitt, etc. Have each go as long as hard as they can, and look to get once or so through an order before handing it over to the next pitcher. This would enable you to get 5–6 innings out of this start, put the team in position to win more games and not overexpose a pitcher to a tougher September schedule.

You could also have three pitchers work two innings apiece, and then see where the game is in terms of who goes next. The score would dictate how you manage the pen, but generally it’s a way to not overexpose your staff and give you the next chance to win as many games as possible.

If the game is lopsided in your favor and a pitcher is going well, you can go longer with that individual.

While there needs to be flexibility each game, the number of pitchers used in this plan would look a lot like Spring Training. That may not be the prettiest or most conventional brand of baseball. However, it’s legal, and if it gives the Rays a better chance of winning and getting back to the postseason for the first time since 2013, it’s something that needs to be done.