ORLANDO, Fla. — More than 60 players took to the field Wednesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex as the Tampa Bay Rays held their first official work out of the spring for pitchers and catchers.
What You Need To Know
- RELATED: Different venue, familiar faces as Rays report for Spring Training
- Manager Kevin Cash and pitching coach Kyle Snyder face pitching decisions, but with a talented staff
- The team is at ESPN Wide World of Sports because its Port Charlotte facility was damaged by Ian
- Tampa Bay's first full squad workout is next week
- Follow Spectrum Sports 360's Mike Cairns Rays updates on Twitter
The team is practicing there because its Port Charlotte facility was damaged by Hurricane Ian.
Manager Kevin Cash and pitching coach Kyle Snyder will try to figure out what the pitching staff will look like this year, with a starting five touted as one of the best in baseball.
"It’s kind of on us to go out there and backup what’s being said,” Cash said. “I would expect that these guys they work well together. There's no doubt the talent is there, so it should be fun watching them build up over the next six weeks."
At the front end of it all is a healthy Tyler Glasnow and last year’s All-Star starter, Shane McClanahan.
"In my time here, this is probably the deepest bullpen staff and group we've had,” McClanahan said. “It's actually a really exciting year for us, I hope."
The new name added to that starting five, Orlando native Zach Eflin, who came over from the Phillies in free agency, is excited about playing for his favorite team growing up.
"Just to be able to put the Rays jersey on, you know, I grew up a pretty significant fan of the Rays,” he said. “So this is a really cool experience for me.”
There is a lot to like about what the Rays will roll out this year with starting pitching that extends all the way to the bullpen.
Add Jeffery Springs and Drew Rasmussen to Glasnow, McClanahan and Eflin and you have a starting five that you could argue is filled with pitchers who could be number ones on most teams in the majors.
The team's first full squad workout is next week, and the first spring training game is Feb. 25 against the Minnesota Twins.