By Matt Baker,
Tampa Bay Times
After years of trying, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Brad Boxberger has finally proved he belongs in the majors, for good.
“No big deal,” said manager Joe Maddon after Boxberger struck out two batters to leave the bases loaded and secure the Rays’ shutout win. “That’s just who he is. He has demonstrated that consistently.”
The reliever appeared in 42 games for the Padres over the past two seasons before coming to the Rays in January in a seven-player trade that sent pitchers Alex Torres and Jesse Hahn to San Diego. But those appearances came over nine different stints in the majors, with the rest of the time spent in Triple-A Tucson.
Since the Rays recalled Boxberger in May, he has solidified his spot in the bullpen with some of the best statistics in the league.
His 14.26 strikeouts per nine innings is second among AL relievers, and he’s on pace to shatter Grant Balfour’s club record (12.65). His .144 opposing batting average ranks among the top 10 in the majors among relievers, and lefties have struggled against him.
“He knows if he doesn’t have a great night, he’s still going to be out there pitching again,” Maddon said. “I think when you know that, you have less bad nights because you’re just out there letting it fly.”
By doing that, Boxberger, 26, has corrected his biggest flaw: inconsistency in the strike zone.
This year, with a secure roster spot and the faith of his manager, he limited the walks while striking out almost 43 percent of the batters he has faced.
“I think the biggest tweak was being able to actually get an opportunity,” Boxberger said. “I never had the opportunity in San Diego to stay for a good amount of time. They never really gave me the chance that I’ve had here. I’ve just kind of taken the opportunity and ran.”
The Rays haven’t just trusted Boxberger to stay in the majors; they’ve trusted him in pressure situations, as part of Maddon’s closer-by-committee strategy.
He delivered one of the biggest highlights of the Rays’ year in May by walking into a bases-loaded, no-out situation against Baltimore. Boxberger struck out the side on nine pitches, and he allowed himself a rare jolt of emotion to celebrate.
“More often than not,” starter Alex Cobb said, “he’s going to come clean up your mess.”
Boxberger credits his success in pressure-packed situations to his ability to stay calm.
Like his dad, Rod, a former minor-league pitcher who played summer ball with Maddon, Boxberger doesn’t say much and shows little emotion. He pitches the same way he warms up: Quickly and efficiently, with a cool confidence befitting someone who knows he finally belongs.
“In that situation, if I try to do too much, I could leave a pitch up, and then a lot of bad things can happen,” Boxberger said. “If I’m able to control my emotions and make my pitches, success is hopefully going to follow.”
