Even if you ignore the food poisoning that delayed Pete Fairbanks’ Spring Training debut, the timing of his first appearance showed how much has changed for him in a year.

During his first spring with the Rays, Fairbanks pitched in their Grapefruit League opener. Typically, pitchers who are competing for jobs get on the mound earlier and more often than established back-end relievers. Fairbanks now finds himself as part of the latter group.

The right-hander gave up a solo home run to Michael Harris, which looked like it was going to be a foul ball to left field if not for the wind, but otherwise worked a clean seventh inning in the Rays’ 2-0 loss to the Braves on Thursday afternoon at CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla.

“Felt really good getting the first real inning since last year,” Fairbanks said. “Felt like it was pretty low to medium effort. Felt like it was coming out good. In terms of the stuff, felt like it was there. I would have liked to have gotten to some two-strike counts, see if I could have executed. But when they're swinging, they're swinging.”

The 27-year-old Fairbanks acknowledged that this spring is “a little bit” different for him, as evidenced by when he began getting into games. That’s the kind of preparation time afforded to someone who played such a big part in Tampa Bay's bullpen success last season.

Fairbanks posted a 2.70 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings during the shortened regular season, then pitched high-leverage innings throughout the Rays’ postseason run to the World Series. He’s set to join Nick Anderson and Diego Castillo at the back of the bullpen again. But having a set role doesn’t change Fairbanks’ mindset -- even in Spring Training.

“I'm still going to go about my business the same way. I love to get out there and compete regardless of what's at stake in a spring,” he said. “Any chance that I get to go out there and go one-on-one vs. somebody, I'm going to embrace that.”

Fairbanks planned to do so last Sunday, but he was scratched from his scheduled outing due to food poisoning. He said it sidelined him for only one day, as he was “back to normal” by Monday night. He declined to go into more detail, and based on the general description he offered, it seems like avoiding specifics was in everyone’s best interest.

“Nobody needs to know how bad it was,” Fairbanks said. “If you’ve had food poisoning, stomach bug, anything of that nature, just go as bad as you can -- and it was that.”

Game notes
• Right-hander Collin McHugh made his second appearance of the spring. After a scoreless fifth inning, the 33-year-old gave up a solo homer to Ronald Acuña Jr. with one out in the sixth, loaded the bases on two walks and a single, then got Travis d’Arnaud to ground into an inning-ending double play. The Rays intend to have McHugh build up his arm to work three or four innings by the end of Spring Training so that he’s prepared for a variety of roles.

“He was really good the first inning,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “It's been a long time since he's been on the mound, so we've got to show him plenty of patience -- and we will. He and [pitching coach Kyle Snyder] were talking after the outing -- what felt good, what still was not quite as in line as he'd like.”

• Non-roster right-hander Chris Ellis worked around a leadoff walk to Guillermo Heredia by retiring Atlanta’s next three hitters in the eighth. The Rays have been impressed by the 28-year-old, who has recorded four strikeouts and three walks while allowing one hit in four innings over three spring appearances.

• Outfielder Nathan Lukes had two of the Rays’ three hits, a double and a single, and Yoshi Tsutsugo snapped his 0-for-8 start to the spring with a first-inning single to right field. Yandy Díaz swatted two balls hard and worked a walk but went hitless, and Mike Brosseau went 0-for-2 with a walk and a smoked comebacker at pitcher Nate Jones.

“We played a clean game,” Cash said. “We just didn't get anything across the plate.”

Around the horn
• Second baseman Brandon Lowe said his initial experience playing third base against the Twins on Wednesday afternoon was “interesting.” Lowe secured a new glove to man the hot corner -- “just add another one to the list,” he said -- but he’ll likely only play there late in games or in emergency situations.

“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little afraid when [right-handed power hitter Miguel] Sanó got in the box, but I think everything went well,” Lowe said. “I did get one play, so that was good. I have the arm to be over there, so that was nice. And now, if I'm back over there, I'll be a little more comfortable a second time through.”

• Right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. is “close” to facing hitters in live batting practice, Cash said, as he works his way back from four elbow surgeries since his last game appearance in 2017. Honeywell might not appear in Grapefruit League games, but Cash said his rehab progression is going well, with the coaching staff “actually way more excited” about how Honeywell looks now compared to when he was on the postseason taxi squad.

• Honeywell primed for long-awaited return

• Cash said Thursday it’s still too early to nail down the final composition of the Rays’ Opening Day roster, including the number of pitchers they’ll carry.

Up next
Veteran starter Chris Archer will make his Spring Training debut and his first appearance back in a Rays uniform when he takes the mound on Friday afternoon against the Red Sox at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla. Archer, whose last outing came in an intrasquad game, is slated to throw one or two innings. Right-handers Trevor Richards, Chris Mazza and Ryan Thompson and lefty Ryan Sherriff are also scheduled to pitch.

First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET. There won’t be a Rays telecast or radio call, but the Red Sox's radio broadcast will be available on MLB.com.