TORONTO — Chris Archer was already expected to take a step up this season, yet once most of the Tampa Bay Rays’ rotation went down with injuries, there was even more pressure on the right-hander to become a stable, front-of-the-rotation starter.
It’s somewhat surprising, then, that while Archer has pitched well (a 2.08 ERA over two starts), the Rays have yet to put him into a workhorse role. Archer has thrown just 85 and 84 pitches in his first two outings, and he is eager to go deeper into games.
“I’m almost two years in the big leagues now, I’m ready for the workload, especially in this time when we’re relying on our bullpen heavily,” Archer said. “If they know one or two of us can go 110, 115, 120 pitches, and maybe that’s in six or seven innings, maybe eight or nine … it relieves the relievers a little bit.”
In Archer’s first start, a 6-2 loss to the Orioles on Opening Day, he didn’t entirely perform well enough to go deeper into the game, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings of work. In his second outing, Archer threw seven shutout innings of one-hit ball against the Marlins on April 11, but was pulled in favor of Kevin Jepsen and Brad Boxberger, who closed out the 2-0 victory.
Archer stressed that he didn’t mind being removed from that game since preserving the win was the most important thing, though he admitted “it’s been surprising” that he has yet to be on the mound for more than 85 pitches. It could be argued that Tampa Bay should be using Archer now when their need for an innings-eater is greatest given all the injuries, yet Archer believes the club is strategic in how they’re deploying his services.
“Hopefully in September that leash is the longest,” Archer said. “That’s how I’m taking it. Let’s conserve a little bit now … and then whenever it’s time to really help out the team down the stretch, I’ll be slightly fresher than I would be if I threw 115 (pitches now.)”
Archer will get another chance at a long outing when he starts against the Blue Jays on Thursday at Rogers Centre.