One of the reasons Tampa Bay was willing to part ways with Matt Garza for a handful of prospects was its confidence in the rest of the rotation, especially in youngster Jeremy Hellickson.
Although Hellickson had some physical issues early in camp, he has come back just fine and the Rays have officially set their rotation for the first five days of the regular season.
David Price, the runner-up in the 2010 American League Cy Young Award voting, goes April 1 at home against Baltimore. James Shields will go second and Wade Davis third. Following an off-day, Jeff Niemann will pitch April 5 and Hellickson on the 6th.
Now, there were some casual surprises in the configuration. For one, Davis has limited experience compared to Niemann, and until an injury sidetracked him in 2010, Niemann was one of the best pitchers in the American League.
Also, the club could've chosen to utilize the day off April 4 and skip Hellickson in the rotation. The 23-year-old has pitched just 2 2/3 innings this spring due to a hamstring strain. Apparently, manager Joe Maddon feels that Hellickson will be ready enough by April 6.
