Littell has another 'remarkable' start in 1st full season in rotation

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays didn’t necessarily know what to expect when they shifted Zack Littell out of the bullpen and into their rotation last summer. They made that move out of necessity, betting that Littell’s track record as a starting pitcher in the Minors would serve him well in their injury-depleted rotation.

And nobody knew exactly how Littell would handle his first full season in a Major League rotation. The Rays hoped for the best, and they were encouraged by what he did down the stretch last year, but carrying a starter’s workload all season would be a new challenge.

That transition, Littell said Thursday night, “feels like forever ago, and it feels like yesterday.”

But Littell has proven time and time again to be up for the task, and the right-hander offered another strong reminder in the Rays’ 2-0 win over the Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay scored both of its runs on productive outs to secure its 11th shutout victory of the season and the 14th one-hit shutout in franchise history.

“Really remarkable,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s been reliable, dependable. You feel like you know what you're gonna get every outing, and then he puts an outing like this together where it's just really impressive.”

Littell breezed through seven one-hit innings on 75 pitches, struck out seven without a walk and extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings. He hasn’t allowed a run since Sept. 2 in his return from a precautionary stay on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder fatigue, as his last three outings have been scoreless.

In perhaps his finest outing yet, Littell surrendered only three hard-hit balls, and all three were outs. He faced 22 batters and only threw 24 balls, running up only four three-ball counts against a highly aggressive Boston lineup. The lone hit he allowed was a two-out single by Nick Sogard in the third inning.

Littell became the fifth pitcher in franchise history to work seven-plus scoreless, walk-free innings while allowing one hit or fewer. The others? Drew Rasmussen (April 9, 2023), Nathan Eovaldi (July 8, 2018), James Shields (May 9, 2008) and Ryan Rupe (May 23, 1999).

“[Catcher] Ben [Rortvedt] did a really nice job, just really mixing and staying in different parts of the zone, and kind of felt like they were off-balance all night,” Littell said. “Mix that with execution, good stuff, and it's usually a good recipe.”

Heading into the season, Littell set a goal to make 32 starts and pitch around 180 innings. He won’t get there, due in part to the workload management that came along with his stint on the IL, although he should have time for one more start next week.

But Thursday was his team-leading 28th start, a mark he never even reached in the Minors, and he has now thrown a team-high 151 2/3 innings, his most in a professional season since he worked 157 in 2017.

“The workload that he's provided, the quality is what stands out the most,” Cash said.

Littell acknowledged that the first half of the season -- when he posted a 4.26 ERA -- involved “a lot of trial and error” as he got used to the role. But he said he’s put what he learned then into practice, and that’s helped him put together a 2.15 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break.

Not bad for someone who hadn’t entered a season as a starter in five years, right? Much less someone who’s been traded, designated for assignment, claimed off waivers and bounced from the rotation to the bullpen and back again.

“I think if you step back and look at it, which I'll definitely do after the season … that's impressive, especially being the first one,” Littell said. “I think I'll appreciate being able to do that in my first year as a full-time starter and look to build on that next year.

“As far as going through all the stuff that I've gone through, it really kind of gives you that resilient attitude where it's just kind of feeling like you can go through anything and come out of the other side better for it.”

The Rays have come to learn and appreciate Littell’s journey to this point. Most say that’s the only way they’d have any idea this was nearly the end of his first full season as a big league starter.

The way he’s pitched, you wouldn’t have any idea.

“He looks like he knows how to manage a game,” shortstop Taylor Walls said. “That's the type of guy he is. I think he's taken on that role well, developing into a starting pitcher, and we're all starting to see it here in the back half.”