With makeshift rotation, Rays need quick learning curve from Nathan Karns
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Before he bowed up for a decent recovery, his first inning was of the rough-and-tumble variety, the experience like watching Mike Tyson land a left uppercut on Michael Spinks.
Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Nathan Karns hoped to ease into a comfortable routine Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles. Instead, he walked into a relentless roundhouse of hits, his ERA on the wrong side of some gnarly blows.
Alejandro De Aza, single. Steve Pearce, single. Travis Snider, single. Adam Jones, double. Manny Machado, sacrifice fly.
Boom. Pow. Crack. Oof. Ouch.
Pain now, progress later? The possibility is there.
"It's just a learning curve, trying to stay within myself at the beginning of the game," said Karns, who allowed six runs and five hits with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings as part of the Rays' 6-5 loss at Tropicana Field. "And eventually, it kind of caught on. That's the second half that I would kind of prefer the first half to be like. But it's tough to give the team a 4-0 lead before we even get at-bats. So I'm going to try to knock that out of the way and kind of go from there."
Day No. 2 in this Rays season started out much like Day No. 1. There was another early deficit for Kevin Cash's team to try to overcome, and this time the hole was due to a black-and-blue beginning by Karns, who was catapulted from contending for the fifth-starter job in spring training to a no-doubt addition to the rotation after injuries to Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly and Alex Colome.
In a perfect world, one without tendinitis or pneumonia or the need for the letters "D" and "L" to be placed next to each other in any sort of baseball context, Karns never would have made the start Tuesday. Likely, Smyly or Chris Archer would have done so after Cobb took the mound Opening Day.
Likely, Karns would have debuted in South Florida later this week against the Miami Marlins as an up-and-comer who has an intriguing ceiling, despite just five major-league starts to his name before this season.
Instead, circumstances have changed how Karns is viewed. With bigger names gone, he's needed as front-line help. With larger arms absent, he must bail water from the Rays' leaky pitching situation instead of developing in the background.
Karns' assistance is needed ASAP until equilibrium is restored within Tampa Bay's rotation in late April and early May.
So much about major-league life is about making the most of chances. Archer did it in rising from an unproven presence behind David Price. Jake Odorizzi accomplished the same. Beyond pitching, center fielder Kevin Kiermaier is another recent example of someone who saw a crack of opportunity and busted down the door before him to discover a path to a brighter tomorrow.
All were artists of their futures in a Tampa Bay uniform.
The Rays must have Karns do the same -- or at least something close to it -- for them to keep their necks above the waterline in these uncertain weeks. He has shown glimpses to suggest he's capable: He's 33-21 with a decent 3.45 ERA in 87 games (81 starts) in the minors as part of the Rays and Washington Nationals systems, and he posted a 2-2 record with a 3.86 ERA in 23 1/3 innings in his most recent spring.
Tuesday, though, was a mixed signal kind of night. His outing left room for improvement, but he answered a challenge to bow up from Cash after the treacherous first inning. Still, even tightening his spigot a tad more could have been enough on a night the Rays' offense rallied for five consecutive runs after being dealt a 6-0 deficit.
Pain. Progress. Finding reasons to keep plugging away.
Karns lived it all.
"He really bowed up and probably saved us, could've gotten a little hairy there the way it was going," Cash said. "He just fell behind a couple of guys early in the game. ... Not the most ideal situation, obviously, but what he did to pick up the rest of the game and the bullpen was outstanding."
The Rays need more of the later-inning version of Karns in the coming weeks. After all, who knows what they will receive from Erasmo Ramirez and Matt Andriese, if the young pitcher moves from the bullpen to the rotation for a cameo appearance, which would be his first regular-season start in the majors?
Who knows how many more rocky nights are ahead with a rather green group?
Karns must do his part to make life for the Rays' staff as smooth as possible. A more complete outing is needed the next time he appears, and his start Tuesday could serve as a constructive learning moment as he finds out what it means to thrive at this level.
"I'm just coming in here and trying to pitch and be effective and help the team win," Karns said. "If it was going to be in Triple-A or here, I'd have the same approach."
It's possible to rise after an early tumble to the mat. Karns will have bruises to show from his season debut, but he doesn't have to let fresh cuts become scars.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
