Kolarek edges Pagan in 'pen as Rays set roster

ST. PETERSBURG -- Rays manager Kevin Cash announced Tuesday that left-handed reliever Adam Kolarek will complete the team’s Opening Day roster. Kolarek edged out Emilio Pagán, who was acquired from Oakland in December, for the 25th roster spot.

Pagan finished the spring with a 3.46 ERA over 13 innings and spent most of the last six months working on a new curveball. Cash said it was a difficult decision with Pagan but that the right-hander will make it to the big league level at some point in 2019.

“We expressed that what we thought of him when we acquired him, we probably think more highly of him now,” Cash said. “Emilio is going to be a huge part of our roster going forward.”

Part of the decision to keep Kolarek was to keep another left-handed reliever on the roster. He struggled in the spring, finishing with an 8.38 ERA in 11 appearances, but the 30-year old reliever pitched well for the Rays last season, finishing with a 3.93 ERA and two saves.

“I know what the matchups, in theory, are going to be for the first couple of series,” Cash said. “I just thought Adam was a deserving fit in our bullpen.”

With Kolarek on the team, Tampa Bay will carry three starting pitchers, nine relievers, two catchers, six infielders and five outfielders on Opening Day.

Here’s how the full Opening Day roster sets up:

Catchers (2): Mike Zunino, Michael Perez

No surprise here for the Rays. Zunino is expected to get most of the starts behind the dish for Tampa Bay this season, but the team feels confident in what Perez brings to the table, especially defensively.

First base (1): Ji-Man Choi

Coming into camp, the Rays knew Choi was capable of hitting at a high level, but his defense was what shined throughout the spring. Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe will also get starts at first, but Choi earned some more playing time after an impressive spring.

Second base (3): Joey Wendle, Daniel Robertson, Brandon Lowe

The Rays will go into the season without a set starting lineup, which means Cash will go with the best matchup on a given night. Wendle and Robertson will also get playing time at third base and shortstop, while Lowe will also play first base and the outfield. This could be the most versatile group on the team.

Third base (1): Yandy Díaz

In his first spring with Tampa Bay, Diaz impressed both with his biceps and his bat. Diaz is hoping to hit more home runs moving forward and his two homers this spring were an encouraging sign. With Matt Duffy starting the season on the injured list, Diaz, Wendle and Robertson will handle most of the duties at third.

Shortstop (1): Willy Adames

Adames struggled at the plate this spring, but he feels confident that he’ll break out of it in time for Opening Day. Wendle and Robertson will also get some work at shortstop, but it’ll be the Adames show up the middle this season.

Outfielders (5): Kevin Kiermaier, Tommy Pham, Austin Meadows, Avisaíl García, Guillermo Heredia

With Heredia replacing Duffy on the Opening Day roster, the Rays will head into the season with six players capable of playing the outfield once you include Lowe. Kiermaier will get most of the work in center field, while Pham will be the everyday left fielder. Meadows and Garcia will likely have some sort of platoon in right field, with Meadows getting the nod against right-handed pitchers and Garcia going up against southpaws.

Starting pitchers (3): Blake Snell, Charlie Morton, Tyler Glasnow

Snell, who signed a five-year, $50 million contract extension this spring, is set to make his first Opening Day start. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner is the ace of the staff, but he has help at the top of the rotation this season. Charlie Morton was the team’s big free-agent acquisition and has been just as advertised. Glasnow has as much potential as anyone in the organization and saw his velocity increase this spring. If the trio stays healthy, Tampa Bay could have one of the best rotations in the AL, even if it’s just with three set starters.

Relief pitchers (9): Ryne Stanek, José Alvarado, Diego Castillo, Chaz Roe, Ryan Yarbrough, Yonny Chirinos, Jalen Beeks, Wilmer Font, Adam Kolarek

Of the group, Stanek, Castillo and possibly Font will “open” games for the Rays, while Yarbrough, Chirinos and Beeks could serve as bulk guys. Kolarek will get plenty of work against left-handed hitters, while Alvarado and Roe could get the majority of save opportunities early in the year. It’s a versatile bullpen, and a really good one.