[Jeff Passan] Closer Pete Fairbanks is now a free agent after the Tampa Bay Rays declined his $11 million option, sources tell ESPN.

28 comments

  1. I don’t get this, why not move him at the deadline then? Or exercise the option and get something in return? Makes no sense

  3. Gutted by this move. I think this answers any questions if were putting more money into the team with new owners

  5. He was a declining reliever that was not worth that price tag anymore. Love Fairbanks the person but the baseball player had lost a step.

  8. For fucks sake why didn’t we trade him at the deadline instead of letting him walk for nothing

  10. I’ll miss the crazy eyes but not the blown saves. Good run with the Rays though.

    Godspeed, you psychopath.

  12. Damn, gonna miss Pete. Met his parents at a bar in Arlington during the WS back in 2020

    It won’t happen but in my head he’ll come back to us on a cheaper deal lol

  14. Not surprising given his struggles with consistency last year. $11 mil is a lot for a closer who can’t be trusted to close games. Maybe they can bring him back on a cheaper deal

  18. Gonna really miss him, but his stuff isn’t great anymore and he just doesn’t miss bats like he uses to. He gave up a *ton* of homeruns in the second half of last year, and went from a reliable closer with a sub 3.00 ERA, to a BP pitcher.

    $11 million for a closer that can’t really close anymore is just too much. This isn’t the Rays being cheap. Its honestly the right move, and the logical move. He should’ve been traded at the deadline before he regressed and tanked his value.

  20. Pete was the last remaining member of “the stable”. Thanks for the memories and good luck.

  24. my heart is in tears but my brain says this is the right move. I really hope we could have gotten something at the trade deadline but I guess there were no takers.

    I don’t see anyone paying him that much but i can see him getting a nice deal like a 2 year 10million

Leave a Reply