Rays manager Kevin Cash mentioned Chirinos as the top candidate to cover most of the innings in Thursday's game against the Orioles after opening pitcher Hunter Wood exits, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Chirinos started July 29 against the Orioles before tossing five innings in relief in his most recent appearance Aug. 4 against the White Sox. Rather than appoint Chirinos to the rotation on a full-time basis, it appears he'll be one of the pitchers the Rays deploy as a multi-inning reliever on days where openers are used. So long as he's up with the big club, Chirinos still projects to cover close to the same amount of innings out of the bullpen that he would in a starting role, but it will be more difficult for fantasy owners in weekly leagues to predict when exactly he'll take the hill.