With starter Matt Moore on the shelf after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament, Rays manager Joe Maddon says Cesar Ramos will move out of the bullpen to start on Sunday, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Topkin adds that it sounds like veteran lefty Erik Bedard will be called up from Triple-A Durham.
Ramos, 29, has allowed one run in four innings to start the 2014 season. He was one of the Rays’ best relievers in 2012, but ran into some struggles last season, finishing with a 4.14 ERA in 67 1/3 innings. His strikeout rate dropped from 24 percent to 18 percent.
Bedard, 35, finished with a 4.59 ERA in 151 innings spanning 26 starts and six relief appearances last season for the Astros. The Rays signed him to a minor league deal in February, released him after he had ugly results in spring training, then re-signed him to a minor league deal at the end of March, sending him to Triple-A Durham. In his first start with the Bulls, Bedard allowed one run in four innings, striking out five and walking one.
