It could be worse: Rays thankful pitching injuries aren't too serious
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- They're bad, but they're also good.
They're bad when considering the immediate outlook, but they're good for the lack of impact they should have in the long run.
They're bad because the Tampa Bay Rays' rotation was viewed as a strength entering Opening Day and not so much anymore, but they're good because the pain should be brief.
Of course, the Rays would rather enter April 6 with a healthy Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly and Alex Colome as part of their stable of starters. But if injuries must happen -- and in baseball, injuries always happen -- these are worthy of a giant "phew!"
Exhale. In a sport riddled with tales of woe involving torn ulnar collateral ligaments and Tommy John surgeries, long disabled list stints and slow recoveries, these are kitten scratches and not mortal wounds.
There are bouts of tendinitis, one involving Cobb's right forearm and the other Smyly's left shoulder. Then there's Colome, who was hospitalized with pneumonia late last week but released from care Wednesday.
If all goes according to plan, the Rays' rotation will return to normal sometime in mid-to-late April. That's a hiccup. That's a skipped heartbeat in a 162-game grind. That's no two-by-four to the face.
Exhale. Carry on.
"Certainly, you're looking to avoid those long-term injuries, and I feel like that we've been able to catch some of these injuries before they become bigger issues," said Matt Silverman, the Rays' president of baseball operations. "That's important. The challenge that we have is the concentration of these injuries all at the same time at the beginning of the season. That's really going to test our depth. We like the arms that we have in camp, and we're looking forward to seeing what they can do with the opportunity that's being presented to themselves."
Sure, there should be some concern. Cobb's situation is the most alarming, given that he was slated to start Opening Day and that he's considered the rotation's voice. Still, it would surprise if he's not back by May. Same with Smyly, who could miss at least one scheduled regular-season start. Same with Colome.
In the meantime, the Rays' pitching depth will be revealed, with no warts hidden. Right-handers Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi and Nathan Karns likely will be part of a rotation minus Cobb and Smyly. The other spots could be filled by some combination of right-handers Burch Smith and Matt Andriese, plus left-handers Enny Romero, Mike Montgomery and Everett Teaford.
Is that ideal? No.
But is the scenario tolerable given the dark alternative? Heck yes.
"With everything that has happened with the whole Tommy John epidemic, any time somebody says 'forearm tightness,' your mind immediately goes to UCL, whether it's a sprain, strain, tear, whatever it is, you think that," Archer said. "But Cobb and I talked yesterday, and we knew that it wasn't going to be anything super serious, because he looked midseason sharp yesterday with his split, fastball and curveball. So we knew that it wasn't going to be too drastic."
The Rays have scars from past absences involving their mound stars when the injuries were drastic. Remember when David Price missed about six weeks in 2013 with a strained left triceps? Remember when Cobb missed two months the same year with a mild concussion and about five weeks last year with a left oblique strain? Remember when Matt Moore made two starts last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery?
So keep the recent news in perspective. The Rays' goal should be to stay competitive throughout April. Certainly, that mission will be no walk along St. Pete Beach at sunset. Nineteen of their 22 games in the month are against American League East competition.
But even if the Rays sink more than swim without Cobb and Smyly, they will have time to push to the surface. This is no August rally. This is no September sweat to the finish. It's not like they'll face a penny-sized margin of error in May if their rotation plummets in April.
Still, Cobb's injury is another curveball for manager Kevin Cash. After all the offseason change, a constant figured to carry over from the Joe Maddon Era: The Rays would rely on pitching and defense to win. Their rotation figured to be one of the AL East's strongest.
That ethos remains, but their pitching is weaker without Cobb. It was possible to see the Rays weathering the absences of Smyly and Colome since both remain unknowns to some degree. But Cobb's injury should cause more pause psychologically.
Exhale. This could have been worse.
"I've put such an emphasis on trying to stay healthy and making all my starts this year," Cobb said. "Not even making it to the first game before something comes up is deflating. That's the toughest part to handle. That's just me thinking about it personally. I do believe that the best interests of myself and the team is to do what we're doing and conquering and calming this down as soon as possible."
He's right. Cobb will walk a tightrope in his work to return. He'll stay above a security net if he's cautious. All Tampa Bay's hobbled starters should strive for the same.
"Any injury is a blow, but obviously, losing a guy for a year is that much bigger," Cash said. "So we're going to get on this and make sure that we do everything we can to prevent any of those guys from having that happen."
It's not often bad news comes with a sigh of relief. The Rays, already faced with adversity, should be thankful this is one of those times.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
