Pepiot's Hip Won't Let Him Go: Rays Shut Down Their Ace For Six More Weeks

The Tampa Bay Rays just got some bad news on the injury front. Right-hander Ryan Pepiot is headed to the 60-day injured list after getting a hip injection this week, which means he's not coming back anytime soon. The 28-year-old has been dealing with right hip inflammation that popped up late in spring training, and that injection is going to push his return back roughly another six weeks.

The Shutdown Begins

Here's the timeline Rays manager Kevin Cash laid out before Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Pepiot got the injection not long after throwing a bullpen session, and now the team is shutting him down for four to five days to let it heal. After that rest period, he'll get back to throwing. But don't expect him on the mound anytime soon. Cash made it clear that once Pepiot builds back up, he's heading to the minors for a rehab assignment before joining the rotation.

What Pepiot Brings When Healthy

Last season, Pepiot was a workhorse for Tampa Bay. He made 31 starts, pitched 167 innings, and went 11-12 with a 3.86 ERA in his second year with the Rays. That's the kind of depth the team is missing right now while he recovers.

Grove Arrives, But With His Own Problems

To open up a spot on the 40-man roster, the Rays signed right-hander Michael Grove to a big league contract. But Grove is heading straight to the 15-day injured list while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He spent the last three seasons with the Dodgers, putting up a 5.12 ERA across 64 games. Cash said Grove is about three weeks away from facing live hitters, so he won't be pitching for the Rays anytime soon either.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.