Littell allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three batters over 3.1 innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

EDGE Analysis

After going most of the exhibition season without a blemish to his ERA, Littell ran into a bit of trouble in his final tuneup. Still, it was an impressive spring as Littell had a 13:3 K:BB and did not allow a homer in 13.1 innings. He quietly had a strong run with the Rays last year and has become a popular mid-to-late pick in recent fantasy drafts. The right-hander will start Tampa Bay's third game of the season, Saturday at home against the Blue Jays, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Littell is expected to serve as a starter for the entire 2024 season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Littell made the transition from reliever to starter in the middle of the 2023 season, and he managed a 3.41 ERA across 71.1 innings in the latter role. With the Rays down several starters to begin the 2024 campaign, he'll be counted on in the rotation, but the team is also planning on him sticking in a starting role for the entirety of the campaign. That could change if he falters and either Shane Baz (elbow) or Jeffrey Springs (elbow) can return, but neither is likely to occur until the summer months at the earliest.

Littell signed a one-year, $1.85 million contract with the Rays on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

After getting DFA'd by the Giants in May, Littell was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay and recorded a 3.93 ERA and 1.15 WHIP through 87 innings with the Rays. He projects to be the fourth or fifth man in Tampa Bay's rotation in 2024, though he also has plenty of experience coming out of the bullpen.

Littell didn't factor into the decision Friday during the Rays' 11-4 loss to the Blue Jays, coughing up three runs on three hits and two walks over 1.1 relief innings. He struck out one.

EDGE Analysis

Aaron Civale tossed 40 pitches as the starting pitcher and was charged with the loss during a game in which the Rays never led, but both Littell (35 pitches) and Taj Bradley (21 pitches) also saw action out of the bullpen, as manager Kevin Cash wanted to keep all his options open for his playoff rotation while not giving Toronto -- Tampa's likely opponent in the wild-card round -- a good look at any of them. Littell closes the books on a regular season that saw him post a 4.10 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 74:12 K:BB through 90 innings split between the Rays and Red Sox.

Littell came away with a no-decision Saturday, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and a walk over 5.2 innings in the Rays' 7-6 victory over the Blue Jays. He struck out six.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander came one out shy of his third quality start in five September outings, and Littell left the mound in line for his fourth win of the season and first since Aug. 27, only for the Tampa Bay bullpen to cough up the lead in the eighth inning. Littell sports a sharp 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 22:2 K:BB through 30 innings on the month, and with Saturday's win having locked up a playoff spot for the Rays, he may not be asked to handle a full workload in his final start of the regular season, which lines up for a rematch with the Jays in Toronto next weekend.

Littell did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing one run on four hits over 4.2 innings against the Orioles. He struck out three.

EDGE Analysis

After pitching eight and seven innings, respectively, in his previous two starts, Littell only made it through 4.2 frames Sunday, departing after throwing just 55 pitches. The 27-year-old right-hander has looked good of late, working to a 2.29 ERA while issuing just one walk in his last three outings (19.2 innings) despite an 0-2 record in that span. Overall, Littell is 3-6 with a 4.12 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 67:9 K:BB through 83 innings this season. He's currently slated for a home matchup with the Blue Jays this weekend in his next outing.

Littell (3-6) took the loss Tuesday, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings against the Twins. He struck out eight.

EDGE Analysis

After firing off eight innings of one-run baseball in his last start, Littell went seven innings against Minnesota and logged his third quality start of 2023. However, the 27-year-old surrendered a pair of home runs, one to Will Castro and the other to Edouard Julien. Over his last seven appearances (42.2 innings), Littell owns a 4.43 ERA and a 33:3 K:BB but has allowed 1.9 HR/9. Littell will close out his two-start week on the road Sunday against the Orioles.

Littell (3-5) took the loss Thursday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk over eight innings against the Mariners. He struck out four.

EDGE Analysis

Littell turned in the longest outing of his career Thursday, holding Seattle to just one run and retiring 19 of the final 20 batters he faced. However, the 27-year-old right-hander was saddled with an unlucky loss on account of Tampa Bay's failure to provide any run support. In eight starts since joining the Rays' rotation, Littell has a 3-3 record with 3.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and a 30:4 K:BB across 46.2 innings. His next start is tentatively scheduled for early next week against a Minnesota offense that leads MLB in strikeouts versus right-handed pitching.

Littell did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing four runs on nine hits over 4.2 innings in a 7-6 loss to Cleveland. He struck out one.

EDGE Analysis

Littell allowed hits to four of the first eight batters he faced, leading to two early runs coming across for Cleveland. He would go on to surrender four earned runs for the third consecutive start while recording just one strikeout. The right-hander also gave up a season-high nine hits in the contest and failed to make it through at least five innings for the first time in his last seven outings.

Littell (3-4) got the win Sunday over the Yankees after allowing four runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four in six innings.

EDGE Analysis

Littell was punished by the long ball in Sunday's outing. He gave up back-to-back jacks in the third and then a two-run shot to Anthony Volpe in the fourth to allow the Yankees to go up 4-2. The Rays wound up scoring a timely four runs in the sixth to take the lead back and put Littell in line for the victory. He's surrendered a home run in each of his last four starts but has been surprisingly effective as a starter considering he's spent his career as a reliever up until his current stint with the Rays. In six starts with Tampa, Littell now holds a 3.97 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 25:3 K:BB in 34 innings and lines up for a meeting with the Guardians next.