Luis Patino is Showcasing His Potential with the Bulls

DURHAM NC – Luis Patino has been finding his groove as a starter over the last couple of outings since the 21-year-old was sent down to the Durham Bulls at the end of May. Patino started the 2021 season in Tampa Bay as both a long reliever and an opening starter. However, he did not receive enough reps in Spring Training to pitch the distance when starting games and made just five appearances with the Rays. The club then ultimately decided to stretch him out at the Triple-A level.

Patino took a bit to adjust and struggled mightily in his first start with the Bulls, lasting 1 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs. He then followed with a much more encouraging start in his second go-around by firing 4 shutout innings while tallying five strikeouts.

Patino made three starts with the Rays before being sent down but failed each time to reach 5 innings, and that has been something he has accomplished over his last two starts with the Bulls in his coming-out party. Versus the Charlotte Knights, he tossed 5 one-hit innings and walked just one, and struck out seven to snag his first Bulls victory of 2021.

The 6 foot 1 hurler built on the successful start this past Saturday in a Bulls 9-0 victory over the Norfolk Tides. The right-hander once again went 5 innings without surrendering a run and walked one, and added five strikeouts. He fired 42 of his 75 pitches for strikes and has found quite the rhythm as of late overpowering his opponents with his 95 plus fastball to go along with his nasty breaking ball.

In four starts with the Bulls, the highly touted prospect has compiled a 2-1 record with a 2.93 ERA in 15 1/3 innings of work. The numbers should only get better, considering he carries an insane 18 to 3 K/BB ratio. It is rare for someone that is as overpowering as Patino to have such impressive command.

The Rays staff will continue to be short-handed with the injury to Rays ace Tyler Glasnow’s UCL. If Patino continues to keep rolling, it should not be long until he follows his former Bulls teammate Wander Franco to Tampa Bay.