Former Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks will have no shortage of suitors in free agency.
It has been nearly a month since the Tampa Bay Rays bid farewell to closer Pete Fairbanks. Now, teams are working to acquire his talents.
The Rays chose to decline Fairbanks' $11 million option on Nov. 7, instead paying him a $1 million buyout and letting him hit the free agent market. Recently, Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic reported on some potential suitors for Fairbanks.
“With Ryan Helsley off the market, Pete Fairbanks might be the next closer to sign,” they wrote. “The Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins are among the teams interested in him, according to industry sources briefed on his market.”
Fairbanks —who turns 32 next month — is coming off a career-year, for better or worse. He made 61 appearances and logged 27 saves through 60.1 innings of work; all career highs. However, Fairbanks also allowed career highs in hits (45), earned runs (27) and blown saves (5).
“The Jays, who are in agreement with free-agent right-hander Dylan Cease on a seven-year contract, continue to pursue late-inning relievers, and were in the mix for three who already signed – Helsley, Raisel Iglesias and Phil Maton. Fairbanks, as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, faced the AL East rival Jays often. In 27 career innings against them, he held Toronto hitters to a .130 batting average and .468 OPS.”
There is also a chance Fairbanks remains in the Sunshine State. The Marlins employ Peter Bendix as their president of baseball operations. Bendix started with the Rays as an intern in 2009 before moving up the ranks and eventually becoming general manager of the club in December 2021.
“Fairbanks also is familiar to Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix, who was with the Rays from 2009 to ’21. Other teams also are in the mix,” Rosenthal and Woo added. “Most contenders have at least touched base, sources say.”
“As the markets develop for Edwin Díaz, Devin Williams and Robert Suarez, Fairbanks looms as a viable under-the-radar alternative. Helsley agreed Saturday to a two-year, $28 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, pending a physical. A similar deal is believed to be in range for Fairbanks.”
Fairbanks came to the Rays in 2019 in a trade with the Texas Rangers. He became an integral part of Tampa Bay’s bullpen in its run to the 2020 World Series. Through seven MLB seasons, Fairbanks has made 275 appearances (two starts) and has a 20-24 record with a 3.19 ERA and 332 strikeouts.