Rays pitcher hospitalized with unusual infection

Jun 4, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (44) pitches in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

A pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays is going to the injured list for a very unusual reason.

Rays manager Kevin Cash revealed to reporters Sunday that right-hander Ryan Pepiot was hospitalized this week with a right knee infection. Pepiot, who was admitted to Columbia University Medical Center to receive some antibiotics, has been placed on the 15-day IL. He will miss a scheduled start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday as a result.

“It kind of cropped up right at that last day of the All-Star break, said he had some soreness,” Cash said of Pepiot’s knee, per ESPN . “He didn’t think much of it, and then it progressively got worse.

“I saw his knee, it’s blown up pretty good, so he’s been in the hospital getting IVs,” Cash added. “He’s totally fine and doing well on the progress end, but probably going to take some time to get all that inflammation out of there.”

Pepiot, 26, is in his first season with the Rays after being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tyler Glasnow trade last December. In 17 total starts for Tampa Bay this season, Pepiot has a 6-5 record with a 3.92 ERA and 94 strikeouts.

You do not often hear of professional athletes having to be hospitalized with knee infections. But the prognosis on Pepiot does sound very positive, and at least this is not quite as bizarre as the infection that another MLB pitcher dealt with a couple of years ago .

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