The Rays have played with shorter outings from their starters and with bullpen games over the past several years, but in 2018 they’re going to try something more extreme and just go for it: four man rotation with bullpen games when you need a fifth starter.
Manager Kevin Cash talked to reporters about how it would work, with the four starters expected to go deep into games and then a group of other pitchers able to contribute two to three innings. He also was clear that the Rays aren’t 100% certain how this will work, and how each pitcher will adjust to their role, but that they’ll get a ton of information in the first six weeks and will be constantly evaluating.