Josh Fleming #38

Joshua Randol Fleming.. Wife’s name is Katie…Met his wife at Webster University, where she played volleyball...During his junior and senior year, they were named the school’s Male and Female Athlete of the Year... Makes regular appearances on disc golf courses around St. Louis during the offseason and keeps a small collection of discs.

2023

Was a member of Tampa Bay’s Opening Day roster for the second straight season…Had a groundball rate of 60.8 percent; the highest mark in Rays history among pitchers with at least 50.0 innings pitched, surpassing Alex Cobb (59.8%) in 2012 according to STATS LLC…Made two relief appearances of 6.0 innings, joining Ryan Pepiot of the Dodgers as the only pitchers in the Majors to accomplish the feat for the season…Posted a 3.35 ERA (37.2ip/14er) in nine relief appearances compared to an 8.36 ERA (14.0ip/13er) in three starts…Recorded a .190 batting average against vs. left-handed hitters.

2022

Made 10 apps (three starts) over five stints with the Rays: Opening Day–May 6, July 4, July 10–Aug. 27, Sept. 13-14 and Oct. 5…his third stint included time on the 15-day IL (right oblique tightness)...Charged 11 unearned runs, tied for sixth in the majors and tied for third in the AL…all 11 came over a stretch of six apps (two starts) from April 14– July 4…the 11 unearned runs before the All-Star break tied for most in the majors and were the most by a Ray since James Shields (13) in 2012...Used his sinker for 54.7 pct. of his pitches…his ground ball rate of 63.8 pct. ranked 8th in the majors among pitchers with at least 35 IP...Debuted a new pitch he calls “The Chazzy,” a sweeping breaking ball he throws with the same grip former Ray Chaz Roe used on his slider...Made the first Opening Day roster of his career...On April 14 vs. OAK, started and took his first home loss since May 1, 2021 vs. HOU, going 8-0 in 12 apps (three starts) at home in between…held lefties hitless in six AB but righties went 7-for-11… yielded two unearned runs after an error with two outs in the second inning led to a three-run, “little league home run” for Cristian Pache...On April 26 vs. SEA, his seven runs allowed tied for the second-most of his career…all seven runs came in the fourth inning, the most by a Rays pitcher in a frame since Jalen Beeks (seven) in the third inning on July 22, 2019 vs. BOS…all seven runs were unearned after errors by Wander Franco and Ji-Man Choi…the seven unearned runs tied Eddie Gaillard on May 7, 1999 at CLE for the single-game club record...Went 9-2 in 15 apps (10 starts) for Triple-A Durham and tied for fourth in the International League in wins…from May 7–July 3, led the IL with seven wins and ranked 3rd with a 2.36 ERA.

2021

Tied Shane McClanahan for the team lead with 10 wins, which tied for second among major league rookies behind HOU Luis Garcia (11)...Made 26 apps (11 starts) over two stints: April 14–Aug. 29 and Sept. 24 through season’s end...Used as a starter and bulk reliever in his first stint of the season…his last start was Aug. 11 at BOS, with his last seven apps coming in relief and his last four apps after his recall coming in short relief...From June 4 through the end of the season, went 5-5 with a 6.71 ERA (59-IP, 44-ER) in 17 apps (7 starts), increasing his ERA from 2.98 to 5.09...Went 6-3 with a 3.75 ERA (48-IP, 20-ER) in relief...Went 7-3 with a 2.28 ERA (59.1-IP, 15-ER) in 14 apps (5 starts) at home and 3-5 with a 8.80 ERA (45-IP, 44-ER) in 12 apps (6 starts) on the road...Used his sinker on 45.7 pct. of his pitches…min. 75 IP, his ground ball rate of 55.7 pct. ranked 3rd in the AL behind HOU Framber Valdez (70.3) and HOU Lance McCullers Jr. (56.9)...His 20 assists tied for 6th among AL pitchers...Induced a swing on 38.2 pct. of pitches outside the strike zone, according to FanGraphs, the highest rate in the AL (min. 75 IP) and 2nd in the majors behind NYM Jacob deGrom (43.2)...On May 16 vs. NYM, his only hit allowed in five scoreless was an infield single by Jeff McNeil to lead off the game…retired his last 9 BF and 15 of his last 16 BF, with the only baserunner over that stretch coming on an E5...On June 13 vs. BAL, became the fifth in club history to make a hitless relief app of four IP (or more), first since Álex Torres on May 18, 2013, at BAL...On Aug. 11 at BOS, allowed a career-high 10 runs and a career-high 6 BB…the 10 runs allowed tied for the 3rd-most in franchise history and were the most by a Ray since Erasmo Ramirez (10) on June 16, 2017, at DET, and the 10 ER were the most by a Ray since James Shields (10) on July 27, 2011 at OAK…became the first pitcher in club history to allow both 6 BB (or more) and double-digit runs in the same outing...On Aug. 22 vs. CHW, went three IP to finish off a 9-0 win and recorded his first career save...POSTSEASON: Was used as a short reliever, pitching in Games 3-4 of the ALDS at BOS…in Game 3 at BOS, yielded a go-ahead, RBI single to Rafael Devers in the third inning.

2020

Selected from the alternate training site Aug 23 and remained on the active roster for the rest of the season…from Aug 23 through season’s end, his five wins tied Tyler Glasnow and SEA Marco Gonzales for the major league lead...From the date of his major league debut through the end of the season, ranked among major league rookie leaders in wins (1st), innings (32.1, tied for 5th), ERA (2.78, 2nd) and opp avg. (.230, 4th)...His 5-game winning streak is the longest for a Rays pitcher to begin a major league career, breaking a tie with Adam Kolarek (2017-19), Jake Faria (2017), Jeremy Hellickson (2010), Tim Corcoran (2006) and James Shields (2006)...Became the second Rays rookie to finish a season with 5 wins (or more) and no losses, joining Jalen Beeks (5-0) in 2018...Was the third Rays pitcher to start and win each of his first three major league apps, joining Jake Faria in 2017 and Jeremy Hellickson 2010…this streak ended when he received no decision in his fourth outing, a start on Sept. 10 vs. BOS...Pitched twice in relief, both times following opener Pete Fairbanks and reliever Ryan Thompson…went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA (6.2-IP, 1-ER) in 2 apps out of the bullpen...Two of his five starts were scoreless, and one of his two apps out of the bullpen was scoreless...Min. 20 IP, his groundball rate of 64.6 pct. led the AL and ranked 3rd in the majors...Yielded 7 BB in 32.1 IP for a 1.95 BB/9 IP ratio...On Aug 23 vs. TOR, became the 10th starter in franchise history to win his major league debut… yielded 2 runs in 5 IP in the 5-4 victory…retired 10 of his first 11 BF, with the only exception over that stretch a Teoscar Hernández homer in the 2nd inning…allowed four consecutive 1-out baserunners in the 4th, including a Travis Shaw RBI single, before stranding the bases loaded...On Sep 27 vs. PHI, started the regular season finale and did not allow a run in a career-high 6 IP…was the first Rays rookie to make a scoreless start of 6 IP (or more) since Brendan McKay’s major league debut on June 29, 2019 vs. TEX...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 24 prospect in the Rays system following the season… the publication also tabbed him as having the Best Changeup in the organization.

POSTSEASON: Went 0-0 with a 6.35 ERA (5.2-IP, 4-ER) in 2 apps…was not on the roster for the Wild Card Series or ALDS...In Game 5 of the ALCS at HOU, replaced opener John Curtiss in the 2nd inning for his postseason debut…both runs allowed came on a 2-run single by Michael Brantley in the 3rd...In Game 1 of the World Series at LAD, entered in the 6th inning and allowed a solo homer to Mookie Betts on his first pitch and back-to-back 1-out doubles to Justin Turner and Max Muncy.

2019

Named Most Valuable Player for Double-A Montgomery by the Rays Baseball Operations department…tied for the Southern League lead with 11 wins and ranked 5th with a 3.31 ERA… named to the SL midseason All-Star Team, and won Pitcher of the Week honors for July 22-28 after back-to-back 9-inning complete games…earned a mid-August promotion to Triple-A Durham, and combined to go 12-7 with a 3.57 ERA (148.2-IP, 59-ER) between the two levels…won his third start with the Bulls and his 12 total wins tied for 3rd among Rays minor leaguers, one shy of the coleaders…ranked by Baseball America as the No. 29 prospect in the Rays system following the season.

2018

Split the 2018 season between Class-A Bowling Green and Class-A Charlotte, going 9-4 with a 2.53 ERA (110.1-IP, 31-ER) in 19 apps (17 starts)… tied for 4th among Rays minor leaguers in wins.

2017

Began his professional career with Rookie-level Princeton…recorded the win in his first professional appearance, going two hitless innings in relief on June 27 at Danville (Braves).