The fifth starter in a major league rotation is a little like the proverbial red headed stepchild. You don’t expect a lot from him but you also hope he doesn’t mess up too much. For big market teams that means a veteran journeyman pitcher who will be an innings eater and hopefully win as many games as he loses. Those pitchers usually cost between $5 and $10 million a year. The Tampa Bay Rays, don’t have that kind of money for a fifth starter but, fortunately, they do have organizational pitching depth.
So who will be the Tampa Bay Rays fifth starter?