Shane Baz Stats
- Height / Weight
- 6' 2" / 190 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 6/17/1999 (24)
- Experience
- 2
- College
- None
Shane Baz Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Shane Baz News
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitchers Taj Bradley (pectoral) and Shane Baz (elbow) recently threw a two-inning live batting practice session, manager Kevin Cash said on Friday. Sidelined for the past month due to a strained right pectoral, Bradley still has to go through the process of rebuilding his stamina and increasing his pitch count before he's ready to return. The 23-year-old right-hander fanned 129 batters across his 104 2/3 innings of work during his rookie year in 2023, but he gave 23 home runs in 21 starts and posted a poor 5.59 ERA. Bradley is probably about a month out from returning to the Rays, while Baz could return at some point in May after two oblique setbacks slowed his progress from Tommy John surgery recovery. Zack Littell and Tyler Alexander will occupy rotation spots in the meantime, with the former having only given up two runs through his first 15 1/3 frames of the campaign.
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said on Tuesday that starting pitcher Shane Baz (oblique) "felt his oblique again a little bit" at the end of his latest live batting practice session, and he will be re-evaluated on Thursday. The issue isn't expected to be a significant setback, but it marks the second time within the previous month that Baz's buildup for the season following 2022 Tommy John surgery has been affected by an oblique injury. Baz missed the entire 2023 season and will be limited this season, but the 24-year-old former No. 12 overall pick has a promising 4.02 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 48:12 K:BB over 40 1/3 career major-league innings. Barring another setback, Baz could be an option for the Rays and fantasy managers around mid-May and is still worth a stash in most mixed leagues.
The Tampa Bay Rays officially placed right-handers Shane Baz (elbow) and Taj Bradley (pectoral) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday, retroactive to March 25. Baz, 24, also dealt with an oblique injury in spring training as he attempts to return from Tommy John surgery in September of 2022. After not pitching at all in 2023, Baz is certainly going to be limited in what he can do for both the Rays and fantasy managers this year, and there's no specific timetable for when he might make his 2024 debut. A return at some point this summer is most likely. Bradley, 23, was diagnosed with a pectoral strain on March 13. He also doesn't have a specific timetable for a return, but he should be back before Baz. There's a lot to like about his strikeout upside, but he gave up too many homers and struggled with his command in his rookie season in 2023.
Batting Order
1 | Yandy Díaz |
2 | Richie Palacios |
3 | Amed Rosario |
4 | Isaac Paredes |
5 | Harold Ramírez |
6 | Austin Shenton |
7 | Curtis Mead |
8 | Jose Siri |
9 | René Pinto |
Shane Baz Stats
Last 10 Games
Batting Order
1 | Yandy Díaz |
2 | Richie Palacios |
3 | Amed Rosario |
4 | Isaac Paredes |
5 | Harold Ramírez |
6 | Austin Shenton |
7 | Curtis Mead |
8 | Jose Siri |
9 | René Pinto |
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane Baz enters the 2024 season as the ultimate unknown for fantasy baseball managers. On one hand, we haven't seen the young phenom pitch since July of 2022, as Tommy John Surgery sidelined him for the entire 2023 season. On the other hand, Baz is a lights-out flamethrower with tantalizing upside that's impossible to ignore. In 40 innings from 2021 to 2022, Baz struck out 48 batters thanks to a 29% K-rate and an eye-popping 14.2% swinging-strike rate at the MLB level. His numbers in the minors were even more impressive. In 2021, Baz struck out 40% of batters in Double-A before he whiffed 64 batters in 46 innings while posting an elite 37% K-rate in Triple-A. When healthy, Baz will generate tons of whiffs and post ace-like strikeout numbers. The downside is Baz has never thrown more than 92 innings in a season and given his recent injuries, expect the Rays to be ultra-cautious with the 24-year-old prospect. On a per-inning basis, Baz can be dominant and he's an attractive fantasy option when healthy. Those that use a top-200 draft pick on him simply need to know he won't pitch deep into games, he will have starts skipped, and it'll be shocking if he throws more than 100-120 innings in 2024, if that. Each fantasy manager will need to assess their own risk tolerance when deciding to roll the dice on Baz.