Brendan McKay was sent back to Triple-A Durham after working the first five innings in Friday’s 8-4, 11-inning loss to the Yankees. Reliever Ian Gibaut was called up for what will be his major-league debut.
McKay is expected back, in at least a cameo role, to pitch of the games in the July 13 doubleheader in Baltimore.
His demotion was not the result of his performance Friday, allowing three runs on a homer and a bases loaded single, nor was it totally unexpected.
When the Rays called him up last week and said the plans were for him to make two starts a return to the minors, where he could keep pitching, and hitting, over the All-Star break that begins following Sunday’s games, the trip back to Durham seemed a possibility.