DETROIT _ Chris Archer gave the Rays another solid start Tuesday, but didn't get much help from his friends in a 2-1 loss to the Tigers.
Archer allowed only two runs over six innings, removed, somewhat surprisingly after throwing 90 pitches. But the Rays hitters managed only one, despite a number of opportunities, and they failed on a chance to get back to .500, which would be an impressive accomplishment after their 1-8 start, instead dropping to 13-15.
The Rays needed a good start from Archer for many reasons.
Not the least of which was the news that came out shortly before game time that rookie right-hander Yonny Chirinos, who had looked mostly good in working his way from the bullpen crew into the No. 4 spot in the rotation, had a sore elbow.
Chirinos, who was lined up to start Friday against Toronto, was immediately placed on the 10-day DL with a right forearm strain, which apparently became an issue as he attempted to throw his scheduled bullpen session Tuesday.
Initial word was that the Rays don't consider the injury to be serious, but team orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton is usually the judge of that, and likely will see Chirinos on Thursday.
"Right now this is precautionary," senior VP Chaim Bloom said. "It makes sense to be conservative with Yonny, take this slow and evaluate him further when he gets back home."
Lefty Ryan Yarbrough, who had just been sent down Sunday as the Rays needed a fresh arm, was recalled, and seems likely to go into the rotation.
Chirinos, 24, made an impressive debut as one of the multi-inning pitchers the Rays used one in relief and three times as a "Bullpen Day" starter, then officially joined the rotation and more two more starts. His last one didn't go well however, as he lasted only two-plus innings Saturday in Boston, allowing three runs and six hits, throwing 53 pitches.
Starting pitching is always a focal point for the Rays, and they made it more a topic of national conversation when they unveiled plans in spring training to go with a short-staffed rotation and extra multi-inning relievers who would cover scheduled "Bullpen Days" when they played five straight. That got taken to a further extreme when projected No. 3 starter Nathan Eovaldi was hurt just before opening day and they went with three starters for the first three weeks.
How has it worked? Not well enough, with their starters sporting a 4.31 ERA that ranked sixth in the American League.
"I've been very pleased with the trend that we're on right now but certainly we've got a lot of room for improvement here as well," pitching coach Kyle Snyder said. "We're not just talking about innings, but we're talking about performance and production. Running a four-plus-one (rotation setup), the guys that are the four guys, we're going to have to get six innings out of them pretty regularly, especially once we get past May 11."
That's really May Day for the Rays, as their schedule, which by then will have provided eight off days in a 38-day stretch (plus a ninth with a rainout last week in Baltimore) shifts into a much more challenging format.
Over the next 41 days, they will have only two days off, and play 40 games, including a May 12 doubleheader.
The Rays, after having catcher Wilson Ramos thrown out at the plate in the fourth on a curious decision by third-base coach Matt Quatraro, scored in the fifth to tie it. But Archer allowed hits to three of the first four batters in the home fifth and that was the difference.
Archer is obviously a key to their success.
"I know his season hasn't gotten off the way that we wanted, the way he wants it," manager Kevin Cash said before the game. "But I think with a couple good starts he can kind of hit the reset button and get going on a roll."
Lefty Blake Snell, who has been their best starter, remains positive but acknowledges their shortfall.
"Not to the extent of what everyone wants it to be," Snell said. "It's been good enough to where we're winning ballgames. But I still know there's a lot of potential out of all of us to be a lot better. And I think we're going to grow, honestly, just seeing the talent that we do have with our starting pitchers.
"I'd say we're doing good enough to win but we could do a lot better as a collective group, pitching deeper into games and not making the bullpen have to help us out so much."
