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Rays DL days: 898 and counting

Rays' Players Have Combined for 898 days on the disabled list, and will easily break the team record.

By Daniel Kishi
Jennifer Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Rays' performance in 2015 has far surpassed even the most optimistic of preseason predictions. With many experts forecasting a last place finish, the majority of the preseason rankings placed the Rays outside of the top twenty.

After last night's loss against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Rays are currently eight games over .500 and have a one game lead over the New York Yankees for first place in an increasingly competitive American League East. Their winning percentage of .554 is the sixth best in all of baseball, and for the first time this season the team was ranked in the top five in ESPN's weekly power rankings (is that a good thing?).

Their surprising performance has come in spite of the fact that the team has suffered an entire season's worth of injuries in the first two and a half months of the year. Four of their five best starting pitchers have spent time on the shelf, as Alex Cobb will not throw a pitch (Tommy John), Matt Moore has not thrown a pitch (Tommy John), and Drew Smyly has only thrown three games worth of pitches (torn labrum). Meanwhile, Jake Odorizzi has found himself on the disabled list with a strained oblique after posting the best numbers of his career.

The Rays have sent six poistion players to the disabled list and 11 pitchers for a total of 19 trips. Position players have combined for a total of 299 days on the disabled list while pitchers have combined for 599 days. Collectively, the Rays have spent 898 days on the shelf. Placement and activation dates were gathered via the Rays' team website.

Disabled List Stints for Rays' Position Players in 2015

Player Injury Placed on DL Activated from DL Number of Days on DL as of June 25
Tim Beckham Right hamstring strain May 31 - 25
Ryan Brett Left shoulder subluxation April 22 May 28 36
Nick Franklin Left oblique strain March 27 May 17 51
John Jaso Left wrist contusion April 7 - 79
Desmond Jennings Left knee bursitis April 26 - 60
James Loney Righ oblique strain April 7 April 24 17
James Loney Broken left middle finger May 25 - 31

Disabled List Stints for Rays' Pitchers in 2015

Player Injury Placed on DL Activated from DL Number of Days on DL as of June 25
Jeff Beliveau Left shoulder impingement April 16 - 70
Andrew Bellatti Right shoulder tendinitis June 10 - 15
Alex Cobb Tommy John March 27 - 90
Alex Colome Pneumonia March 27 May 1 35
Jake McGee Left elbow surgery April 5 May 15 40
Matt Moore Tommy John April 5 - 81
Jake Odorizzi Left oblique strain June 6 - 19
C.J. Riefenhauser Left shoulder inflammation April 23 May 30 37
Burch Smith Tommy John April 8 - 78
Drew Smyly Left shoulder tendinitis March 27 April 24 28
Drew Smyly Torn left labrum May 6 - 50
Kirby Yates Right pectoral strain April 15 June 10 56

Jeff Zimmerman at the Hardball Times has accumulated disabled list data since 2002. According to his research, the Rays, from 2002-2014, have never exceeded 1,055 days in any given season. With eleven players currently on the disabled list, and Alex Cobb and Burch Smith out for the season, the Rays will easily obliterate their previous 12 season mark.

The following graph is from a neat interactive DL Data tool by Jeff Zimmerman at the Harball Times.

Rays DL

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