Pete Fairbanks

Peter Anderson Fairbanks (born December 16, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). Fairbanks was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB draft. He debuted in MLB for the Rangers in 2019, but was traded to the Rays later that season. He currently serves as the Rays' closer.

Pete Fairbanks
Fairbanks with the Texas Rangers in 2019
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 29
Pitcher
Born: (1993-12-16) December 16, 1993
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 9, 2019, for the Texas Rangers
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Win–loss record13–16
Earned run average3.21
Strikeouts229
Saves40
Teams

Amateur career

Fairbanks attended Webster Groves High School in Webster Groves, Missouri.[1] He underwent Tommy John surgery during his junior year of high school.[2] Fairbanks attended the University of Missouri and played college baseball for the Tigers from 2013 through 2015. At Missouri, he pitched for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summers of 2013 and 2014.[3][4][5]

Professional career

Texas Rangers

Fairbanks was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the ninth round, with the 258th overall selection, of the 2015 MLB draft.[6][7] He spent his debut season of 2015 with the Spokane Indians of the Class A Short Season Northwest League, going 1–2 with a 3.14 ERA over 57 innings. He spent the 2016 season with the Hickory Crawdads of the Class A South Atlantic League, going 4–5 with a 4.88 ERA in 101 innings. He opened the 2017 season with the Down East Wood Ducks of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League, going 2–1 with a 5.79 ERA in 18.2 innings. Fairbanks suffered a second torn UCL and underwent Tommy John surgery a second time during the 2017 season.[8] The injury caused him to miss the rest of the 2017 and the entire 2018 season.[8] Fairbanks returned to action in 2019 as a relief pitcher, being assigned to Down East to open the season.[9] He went 1–0 with a 2.92 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 12 innings for them. On May 9, he was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League.[8] He went 1–0 with a 0.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 7 innings for them. On May 29, he was promoted to the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.[10][11]

On June 8, Fairbanks's contract was selected and he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[12] He made his major league debut on June 9, recording three strikeouts over two scoreless innings of relief.[13]

Tampa Bay Rays

On June 29, 2019, Fairbanks pitched against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field and caught the attention of the Rays' front office.[14] On July 13, the Rangers traded Fairbanks to the Rays for Nick Solak.[15][16] After the trade, he was assigned to the Durham Bulls.[17] Fairbanks finished the 2019 season going 2–3 with a 6.86 ERA over 21 MLB innings.

In 2020, Fairbanks threw in 27 games of the 60-game season. He posted an ERA of 2.70, recording 39 strikeouts in 26+2⁄3 innings.[18] In Game 7 of the Championship Series against the Houston Astros, Fairbanks recorded a four-out save as the Rays won the American League pennant.[19]

On July 7, 2021, Fairbanks combined with Collin McHugh, Josh Fleming, Diego Castillo, and Matt Wisler to no–hit the Cleveland Indians. However, since the feat was achieved in a truncated seven–inning doubleheader game, it was not recorded as an official no-hitter.[20] Fairbanks made 47 appearances in 2021, pitching to a 3.59 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched.

On March 30, 2022, it was announced that Fairbanks would miss three months of action after suffering a 50% tear of his lat muscle.[21] Fairbanks was activated off of the injured list on July 17. In his season debut against the Baltimore Orioles, he allowed a run on two hits with two strikeouts in an inning of work.[22] He appeared in 24 games for the Rays in 2022, logging a 1.13 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched.

On January 27, 2023, Fairbanks signed a three-year, $12 million contract extension with the Rays.[23]

Personal life

Fairbanks's father, Shane Fairbanks, played college baseball for the Missouri Tigers in the 1980s and in minor league baseball for the Houston Astros organization in 1983.[6][2]

Fairbanks and his wife, Lydia, have one son and one daughter together.[24]

References
  1. "Peter Anderson Fairbanks". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 1, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  2. Chris Derrick (August 20, 2015). "Knowledge is wonderful thing for Indians' right-hander Fairbanks". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  3. Missouri Tigers (June 18, 2015). "Mizzou's Williams, Fairbanks Drafted on Day Two of MLB Draft". mutigers.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  4. "#51 Peter Fairbanks". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  5. "#37 Peter Fairbanks". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  6. Matt Nestor (June 10, 2015). "MU's Williams, Fairbanks selected in MLB draft". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  7. Missourian Staff (June 9, 2015). "Missouri pitchers Williams, Fairbanks drafted Tuesday". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  8. Matt Present (May 10, 2012). "Fairbanks Promoted to Double-A Frisco". MiLB.com. Down East Wood Ducks. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  9. Matt Present (March 27, 2019). "Wood Ducks Announce 2019 Roster". MiLB.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  10. Adam J. Morris (May 28, 2012). "Fairbanks to AAA, Evans, Barlow to AA". Lone Star Ball. SB Nation. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  11. Evan Grant (May 28, 2018). "Rangers putting three minor league pitchers on fast track after dominant May performances". The Dallas Morning News. The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  12. RotoWire Staff (June 8, 2019). "Rangers' Peter Fairbanks: Called up by Rangers". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  13. Chuck Carlton (June 9, 2019). "After the starting season in Single-A, Pete Fairbanks added to impressive weekend of pitching debuts for Rangers". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  14. "Yankees, Dodgers fall short of Rays in finding pitching - Sports Illustrated". www.si.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  15. "MLB.com 2018 Prospect Watch". Major League Baseball. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  16. Adam J. Morris (July 13, 2019). "Texas Rangers trade Peter Fairbanks to Tampa Bay Rays for Nick Solak". Lone Star Ball. SB Nation. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  17. Marc Topkin (July 13, 2019). "Rays trade for a reliever ... to help in the future". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  18. "Pete Fairbanks Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  19. "Pete Fairbanks Postseason Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  20. "5 Rays pitchers no-hit Indians for doubleheader sweep". apnews.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  21. "Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Likely out at least three months".
  22. "Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Struggles in return". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  23. "Rays lock up another key arm in Fairbanks". mlb.com. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  24. "Rays' World Series a family affair, in and out of bubble".
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