Chris Archer has been lights out for the Rays. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
ST. PETERSBURG — Chris Archer might have been sick but he continues to look like an ace. With Alex Cobb (forearm) out at least another month and Matt Moore (Tommy John surgery) unlikely to return until after the All-Star break, it’s on the 26-year-old Archer to be the top guy in the Rays rotation.
Archer continues to prove he’s up for the challenge and Sunday he didn’t let an illness stop him from dominating the Blue Jays to complete a three-game sweep for the Rays.
“I feel like if I’m 75-80 percent, I have an obligation to the team,” Archer said. “The biggest thing is I didn’t want to compromise the team and put them in a bad situation.”
The only bad situation for Tampa Bay would have been if Archer couldn’t make his start. Although Archer isn’t always mentioned when pundits discuss the best young pitchers in the league, it’s clear he has the respect of the teams that go against him.
“You know that Archer isn’t going to give up a lot of runs,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “He is tough and he has that changeup that makes him very tough. He throws hard and then he backs it off.”
With Drew Smyly making his first start of the season last Friday and Alex Colome finishing up his rehab assignments, the Rays could round into one of the best rotations in baseball. And Archer will be at the head of the group.
“I don’t think we could’ve asked for a better month out of a starting pitcher,” Rays manager Kevin Cash. “He’s been as good as I’ve ever seen.”
