Jalen Beeks

Beeks missed last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in September 2020. The 28-year-old lefty has mostly worked as a multi-inning reliever or primary pitcher out of the bullpen over his three active seasons in Tampa Bay, and he'll likely fill a similar role when he's with the big club during the upcoming campaign.

Beeks was off to a strong start, often working in a multi-inning capacity before his season was cut short by a torn UCL in his left elbow, requiring Tommy John surgery. Beeks fanned at least one batter in all 12 of his appearances, compiling an impressive 26 punchouts against just four free passes in 19.1 frames. There is a chance Beeks can pitch late in the 2021 campaign, but don't bet on it. Sometimes a team wants a Tommy John recipient to get over the mental hurdle of throwing pitches in anger so they can spend the offseason not fretting over letting loose. Beeks will turn just 28 years old around the All-Star break, so hopefully he can continue to rehab, make a full recovery and pick up on his promising career.

Beeks spent most of the year on the Rays' big-league roster, pitching adequately enough in a flexible role. In 104.1 innings, including three starts and 30 relief appearances, he posted a 4.31 ERA and a 4.41 FIP. His underlying numbers were fine but far from exciting. His 45.6% groundball rate was slightly above average, his 8.6% walk rate was nearly exactly average and his 19.2% strikeout rate was solidly below average. That adds up to a pitcher who's good enough to earn a roster spot, especially if he can handle a multi-inning role, but not one who looks poised to move into a more fantasy-relevant spot in the rotation or back of the bullpen. It certainly helps him that he can handle multiple innings, as he's not going to be a lefty specialist any time soon given that lefties managed an .870 OPS off him last year. He should remain a fine role player but is unlikely to interest fantasy owners any time soon.

After being traded to Tampa Bay, Beeks made 12 relief appearances for his new team, working an average of 3.7 innings per appearance and never going fewer than two. His overall line wasn't pretty, but he was decent over the final two months of the season, posting a 3.07 ERA over 41 innings. That could theoretically be enough to move him into a starting role this season, though some regression is likely in order as he posted a .241 BABIP and an 83.7% left-on-base rate over that stretch. Even if his ERA holds, he may not see a role change, as his apparent comfort in the unconventional "bulk-inning" job could lead the Rays to keep him there. That's not altogether a bad thing for fantasy purposes, as it gives the lefty the chance to earn wins and protects his ratios by letting him avoid the three-times-through-the-order penalty.

Beeks had a strong showing in the upper minors in 2017, leaving himself on the cusp of Boston's big-league roster. In 145 innings split between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket, the 24-year-old lefty recorded a 3.29 ERA. He's probably a fourth starter at best, as his numbers were more good than great in 17 starts at Triple-A: a roughly average groundball rate (44.6 percent) and walk rate (8.2 percent) with an above-average strikeout rate (24.1 percent). It's a skill set that could play in either the rotation or the bullpen, and Beeks has routes to both. He isn't in consideration for Boston's fifth starter job this spring, but the depth chart in front of him contains a number of injury-prone pitchers (David Price, Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez) and no top prospects, so there's a decent chance he's called upon at some point this summer. The team also lacks a quality left-handed reliever, so Beeks could be pressed into service there as well. It's not a particularly enticing package, but it's at least enough to keep Beeks on watch lists for owners in deeper leagues.