Griffin

Jax

This was his first time pitching five innings in a game since 2021. Jax has now made four starts since moving to the Rays’ rotation to stretch out as a starter. He pitched four innings in his previous start after lasting less than three in the two starts prior. He wasn’t at his best against Toronto, needing three double plays to erase some traffic. Jax allowed four hits and four free passes and only struck out one. His next start lines up at home against the Orioles.

Jax struck out three and walked one while throwing 59 pitches in this one. The former reliever showed off a six-pitch mix in this one, using five pitches at least 14 percent of the time. He threw plenty of strikes with his sinker and four-seamer and was able to use his changeup for whiffs against both righties and lefties. However, no other pitches really missed many bats, and he had just a 10 percent swinging strike rate. We’ll need to see a little more strikeout upside from Jax if he’s going to be relied on in fantasy leagues. He should be able to push to five innings next week against the Blue Jays, but we’d hold off on starting him for now.

That’s not great news. Matz looked good on Sunday, allowing one run in six innings to lower his ERA to 3.86 and his WHIP to 1.10. Obviously, he did not respond well after the start, so we’ll have to wait and see how long he will be sidelined for. The Rays are in the process of stretching out Griffin Jax and Mason Englert (forearm) as starters, and Joe Boyle (elbow) is on the injured list, so they may have to turn to Joe Rock or Ian Seymour to take at least one start in Matz’s place.

It looks like this is going to be a permanent switch for Jax, leaving him with no fantasy value in the short term while he gets stretched out. Still, the talent is there for him to perhaps reemerge as a contributor once he’s ready to throw six innings at a time. He’s thrown five scoreless innings in his two starts thus far.

Jax, who opened the season roughly six weeks ago as a potential closing option, is being stretched out as a start with the aim of joining Tampa Bay’s rotation. The 31-year-old’s departure from the bullpen mix is a boost to his fantasy value from a volume standpoint, but fantasy managers should probably employ a wait-and-see approach before trusting him in shallow mixed leagues. It’s a nice spot right out of the gate since the Giants have been one of the weakest lineups in the game this season.

It seems as if a new pecking order has been established in the Rays’ bullpen. Baker has now been used in consecutive save situations while Hunter Bigge and Ian Seymour worked in set-up roles. This was the first time in a week Griffin Jax returned to a relatively high-leverage situation as he relieved starter Steven Matz in the fifth inning to face Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton. Nevertheless, Baker appears to be the closer in Tampa Bay right now.

In spite of a 16.88 ERA, Kelly has both Rays saves thus far. Griffin Jax pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings in a tie game today. Bryan Baker followed with a scoreless ninth and wound up with the win after the Rays scored three runs in the top of the 10th. Baker is still the Jax alternative to consider rostering right now, though Edwin Uceta could change that in a couple of weeks.

Kelly got the call to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning with a runner on first base after southpaw Ian Seymour retired left-handed batters Garrett Mitchell and David Hamilton. He managed to retire pinch-hitter Blake Perkins on a harmless ground ball to extinguish the threat and preserve the victory. Griffin Jax looked sharp while working a scoreless seventh inning of a tie ballgame while Garrett Cleavinger got the eighth. We’re anticipating the Rays continue deploying a closer-by-committee approach, which makes it a virtually stay-away fantasy-wise.

Definitely not the kind of first weekend Jax drafters were hoping for. After pitching in the sixth and giving up a homer in the opener, he was unable to protect a one-run lead with the automatic runner on in the bottom of the 10th today. He opened with a bad four-pitch walk to Jordan Walker, at which point the Cardinals sacrificed to advance both runners. JJ Wetherholt followed with a grounder perfectly rolled between the first and second basemen. It’s probably not going to be held overly much against Jax that he couldn’t convert today, but two blown saves in two games just isn’t what anyone wants to see.

The Rays entered the bottom of the sixth inning with a comfortable 7-1 advantage. Ian Seymour allowed each of the first five hitters that he faced to reach base though, leading Rays’ skipper Kevin Cash to turn to Garrett Cleavinger. Cleavinger allowed two straight hits and then a sacrifice fly that pulled the Cardinals to within a run. That’s when Cash called upon his presumed closer. Jax gave up a sacrifice fly to Ivan Herrera that tied the game before allowing the go-ahead blast to Burleson. Not only did fantasy managers have to absorb some ratio damage from Jax in this one, they also had to face the harsh reality that he’s not going to be used as a traditional closer.