ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rays have signed right-handed pitcher Pete Fairbanks to a three-year, $12 million contract through the 2025 season, including a club option for the 2026 season. The pact is worth up to $24.6 million if the club option is exercised, performance escalators are reached and award bonuses are triggered.
Fairbanks, 29, is 11-10 with a 2.98 ERA (105.2-IP, 35-ER) and 15 saves in 111 appearances (two starts) since being acquired by the Rays in July 2019. Last season, he went 0-0 with a 1.13 ERA (24-IP, 3-ER) in 24 appearances after opening the season on the 60-day IL with a right lat strain. He made his season debut on July 17 and tied for the team lead with eight saves despite missing over three months. Min. 20 IP, he ranked second in the American League in WHIP (0.67), fourth in ERA and fifth in opponents’ avg. (.159). He struck out 43.7 pct. (38 of 87) of batters faced, second in the majors (min. 20 IP) behind NYM Edwin DÃaz (50.2 pct.), and it marked the second-highest for a single season in franchise history behind Nick Anderson (52.6 pct.) in 2019. He ended the season with 22 straight scoreless appearances, the second-longest streak in club history.
Fairbanks is 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA (15-IP, 6-ER) and three saves in 12 career postseason appearances, all with the Rays. In 2020, he became the fifth rookie since saves became an official stat (since 1969) to record three (or more) in the postseason. He was on the mound when the Rays clinched the pennant in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.
Fairbanks was acquired by the Rays from the Texas Rangers on July 13, 2019 in exchange for minor league infielder Nick Solak. He was selected by the Rangers in the ninth round of the 2015 Amateur Draft out of the University of Missouri.
