Garrett Cleavinger's Early Season Is Already Over: Rays Put Left-Hander on IL With Calf Injury

The Tampa Bay Rays just put reliever Garrett Cleavinger on the shelf Friday with right calf tightness, and the 31-year-old left-hander is the last guy they wanted to lose this early. The move is retroactive to Tuesday, which means Cleavinger has been dealing with this for days. For a bullpen that needs every arm healthy in April, this is a gut punch.

A Rough Start Gets Worse

Cleavinger came into the season with solid career credentials: 14-17 with eight saves and a 3.25 ERA across 193 games (one start) with three different teams since 2020. But this year? He's been a mess. In three appearances, he's 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA. Not the kind of performance that gives you any confidence heading into the injured list with a calf injury.

The retroactive date to Tuesday suggests the Rays caught this early, which is the only silver lining here. Fifteen days on the IL means he'll miss some games, but at least they're not looking at a longer recovery timeline right now.

The Rays Call Up Bigge to Fill the Gap

To backfill the roster, the Rays recalled right-hander Hunter Bigge from Triple-A Durham. Bigge is 27 years old and has appeared in two games out of the Durham bullpen this season with no decisions and a 4.50 ERA. He's not exactly a household name, but he's what the Rays have available right now.

Early April injuries hit different. One reliever down can ripple through the entire bullpen workload, and the Rays can't afford to have their rotation stretched too thin this early in the season. Cleavinger needs to heal up fast.

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