Tampa Bay Rays place Wilmer Font on the disabled list, recall Hunter Wood

The Tampa Bay Rays have placed RHP Wilmer Font on the 10-day disabled list with a lat strain, and recalled RHP Hunter Wood from Triple-A Durham.

This is a crushing blow for the Rays pitching staff, which has already been ravaged by injury during the 2018 season. Font was picked from the Oakland Athletics towards the end of and has seen a dramatic turnaround in his performance since joining the Rays as he has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.

Given the opportunity to start and pitch deeper into game recently, Font has rewarded the Rays by being nearly untouchable as he has allowed just five runs over 27 innings pitched. He held the Astros scoreless for five innings last night, before leaving in the sixth after allowing the first hitter to reach base, due to his injury.

Wood has two games of major league experience under his belt, making a very brief debut with the Rays last season for one game and he joined them earlier this year for a game as well where 2 ¹⁄₃ innings against Rangers on April 17th. While in Triple-A this year, Wood has been dominant with a strikeout percentage over 38% in 42 innings pitched.

The Rays lost one of their most dependable pitchers over the past month with Font going to the disabled list, but help is on the way with Chris Archer expected to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday.