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Key Rays pitcher leaves Orioles clash after scary 107 MPH comebacker
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- Key Rays pitcher leaves Orioles clash after scary 107 MPH comebacker
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As the Tampa Bay Rays faced the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, they were relying on starting Griffin Jax to lead them to victory. However, his outing ended early after a scary hit by pitch.
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Jax was nailed on the back by a 107.2 MPH comebacker off the bat of Leody Taveras . While he managed to finish the inning, the right-hander was removed from the game once he left the mound.
After being hit, Jax stayed on the ground for an extended moment, clearly in pain. The fact he was able to finish the inning is a good sign on the surface. But the Rays will now have him undergo more tests. They'll hope he isn't dealing with a serious long-term injury.
Before going down, Jax pitched two innings of scoreless baseball, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out three. Tampa Bay has been let down by their defense despite the scoreless effort, as three errors has given Baltimore a 6-1 lead.
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Whatever the outcome of the game may be, the Rays will be far more concerned with Jax's health. After serving as a standout relief pitcher, he was moved into the starting rotation during the 2026 campaign. Over his five starts, and 16 appearances overall, the right-hander holds a 3.54 ERA and a 24/15 K/BB ratio.
Entering Tuesday's game with a 34-17 record, the Rays have been one of the hottest teams in baseball . Their rise can be partially attributed to improved pitching from players like Jax. As Tampa Bay tries to continue their scorching run, they'll hope the right-hander's early exit doesn't send him to the injured list.
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