Rays' Ryan Pepiot: Pulled after 63 pitches in finale
Rotowire
Pepiot (8-8) took the loss Sunday against Boston, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out five in four innings.
Pepiot ran into trouble in the third inning when an RBI double by Vaughn Grissom drove in the game's first run. An unfortunate throwing error by the Rays defense compounded the damage, allowing another run to score. Pepiot wasn't given much of a chance to recover, as he was pulled after throwing just 63 pitches in the regular-season finale. Acquired from the Dodgers in the Tyler Glasnow trade last winter, the 27-year-old Pepiot enjoyed a successful inaugural season for the Rays, pitching to a 3.60 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 142:48 K:BB in 130 innings (26 starts).
Pepiot (8-7) took the loss Tuesday against the Tigers, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks over five innings. He struck out six.
While Pepiot struggled with command a bit Tuesday, matching a season high with four walks, he managed to hold Detroit scoreless until Wenceel Perez's two-out, two-run double in the fifth inning. The 27-year-old right-hander has held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in 12 of his last 13 outings, posting a 2.71 ERA in that span (63 innings). Pepiot's ERA now sits at 3.64 through 126 innings this season with a 1.14 WHIP and 137:46 K:BB. He'll look to wrap up the campaign on a high note in his next and final outing, currently scheduled for this weekend in Boston.
Pepiot allowed one run on two hits and no walks while striking out 12 batters over six innings in a no-decision against Boston on Wednesday.
Pepiot lasted just two frames in his previous start, but he had a longer leash -- and pitched much better -- Wednesday. The right-hander needed just 76 pitches to notch a quality start and record a career-high 12 punchouts, though he had to settle for a no-decision in a game during which the Rays' offense managed just one run. Pepiot may be held to less than a full workload moving forward, though he showed Wednesday that he can still be effective even when not accumulating a typical starter's pitch count.
Pepiot was pulled from Thursday's start against Cleveland after two innings but did not suffer an injury, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Pepiot labored through two innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out one. He threw only 38 pitches, though the Rays may be opting to manage his workload after he threw only 64.2 total innings in 2023 and is up to 115 frames this year.
