Tyler Glasnow trade is tough, but Ryan Pepiot provides depth beaten Rays' rotation

Tyler Glasnow was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Ryan Pepiot. Although the trade also included both Manuel Margot and Jonny Deluca, the pitcher swaps create an interesting topic of discussion since Glasnow was the main starter for the Rays over the course of 2023.

It may initally seem like a step back going from Glasnow to Pepiot, but Tampa Bay fans must remember that the Rays' strength has always come from pitching, and they currently have starters (Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan, Shane Baz, and Jeffrey Springs) out with injuries. Pepiot provides a backup spot within the rotation while all of those players remain out.

Pepiot is no slouch to have for the time being either. He has a WHIP of 1.09 in 78-1/3 innings pitched and this is also while dishing out 80 strikeouts over that same course of time. His 5-1 record with 10 games of starter experience are enough to have him develop under the great pitchers and pitching staff the Rays have to offer.

Look at Pepiot's arsenal, he is a heavy fastball pitcher with over 50% of his pitches coming from that category and averaging out in the mid-90s. He also features a low-hanging chaneup and an occasional middle, right of the zone slider.

An interesting part of Pepiot's game is his extremely low walk rate (3.1%) that became evident in 2023. This is important because it shows the ability to not fall behind against batters and could be key as the Rays will eventually play some of major league baseball's toughest lineups that come from the AL East.

Intially, losing Galsnow was tough. His high velocity fastballs and high strikeout rates made him one of the most productive pitchers Tampa Bay has had in recent memory. However, Pepiot has time to develop and has the opprotunity to strut his stuff with the Rays' rotation being very battered.