Rays Your Voice: How do the Rays use their bullpen? Guest Ian Malinowski

After seeing some discourse on Twitter surrounding Rays reliever usage, I decided to open up a discussion with Ian Malinowski about the way the team uses their pitchers. In this episode of Rays Your Voice, we try to analyze how the Rays may be trying to mitigate injury risks in 2021, and why the number of pitchers on the IL right now is so high.

This conversation ties directly into roster construction, and how the Rays will utilize two extra roster spots in the month of September. With multiple pitchers coming off the IL or joining the team from AAA Durham, players will have to be optioned or DFA’d. We discuss which pitchers may be left off the roster as the Rays look to defend their American League title.