Baseball purists were horrified last year when the Tampa Bay Rays implemented an innovative workaround for lack of starting rotation depth, piggybacking a long reliever on a short start by a higher-leverage “opener.” The opener’s job is to work through the top of the order without allowing damage and then turn the ball over to the long man, who will be in line to earn the win by working four innings or so. Although this strategy was derided by traditionalists, it was successful for the Rays, who finished the 2018 season with the second-ranked team ERA in the American League.
Should Cubs Consider Using Opener for Kyle Hendricks
