Tanner Rainey

Tanner Rainey

31-Year-Old PitcherRP
Washington Nationals
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Rainey nearly missed the entire 2023 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2022. However, the right-hander was able to return to the Nationals bullpen in late-September to make one relief appearance before the season ended. Prior to that outing, Rainey struck out 14 over 13 innings on his minor league rehab assignment. The 31-year-old has yet to pitch more than 48.1 innings in a season, but he did record 12 saves in 2022 and figures to be part of Washington's high-leverage mix in 2024. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#362
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Nationals in November of 2023.
Turning things around
PWashington Nationals
July 16, 2024
Rainey has posted a 6.58 ERA, 1.77 WHIP and 22:18 K:BB through 26 innings with zero wins, saves or holds in 25 appearances.
ANALYSIS
A brutal start to the season is still tainting his ratios, but Rainey has actually been an effective relief arm for the last couple months. Over his last 12 appearances dating back to May 21, the 31-year-old right-hander has been scored upon only once, and he's compiled a 2.77 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 13:5 K:BB through 13 innings over that stretch. Despite that improvement, Rainey is still a shell of the pitcher he was prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2022. His 93.7 mph fastball average is a far cry from the 97.0 mph he was dialing up in 2022 before his elbow gave out, and his days as a viable high-leverage bullpen option appear to be over.
Read More News
Pitching Stats
Loading Pitching Stats...
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2024 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2023 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2022 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2021 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2020 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2019 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2018 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
Minor League Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Loading Minor League Pitching Game Log...
Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
19
Last 10 Games
17
Last 5 Games
19
How many pitches does Tanner Rainey generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Tanner Rainey generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-7%
BAA vs LHP
2024
 
 
-12%
BAA vs LHP
2023
 
 
-100%
BAA vs RHP
2022
 
 
-6%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .225 157 36 25 29 6 1 3
Since 2022vs Right .242 207 45 18 45 4 1 10
2024vs Left .221 98 17 19 17 5 1 2
2024vs Right .250 133 27 10 30 4 0 6
2023vs Left .500 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
2023vs Right .000 3 1 1 0 0 0 0
2022vs Left .220 57 19 6 11 1 0 1
2022vs Right .234 71 17 7 15 0 1 4
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-50%
ERA at Home
2024
 
 
-66%
ERA at Home
2023
No Stats
2022
 
 
-5%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 2.84 1.26 44.1 0 1 5 8.7 4.5 1.4
Since 2022Away 5.73 1.62 37.2 1 2 7 9.1 5.0 1.4
2024Home 2.54 1.31 28.1 0 0 0 7.0 4.8 1.0
2024Away 7.54 1.72 22.2 0 0 0 8.7 5.6 2.0
2023Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023Away 0.00 2.00 1.0 0 0 0 9.0 9.0 0.0
2022Home 3.38 1.19 16.0 0 1 5 11.8 3.9 2.3
2022Away 3.21 1.43 14.0 1 2 7 9.6 3.9 0.6
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Tanner Rainey compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
1.52
 
K/9
7.8
 
BB/9
5.1
 
HR/9
1.4
 
Fastball
94.1 mph
 
ERA
4.76
 
WHIP
1.49
 
BABIP
.281
 
GB/FB
0.55
 
Left On Base
74.1%
 
Exit Velocity
83.7 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
7.7%
 
Spin Rate
2376 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
22.3%
 
Swinging Strike
11.7%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
Loading Advanced Pitching Stats...
Defensive Stats
Loading MLB Defensive Stats...
Stats Vs Today's Lineup
Want more matchup stats?
Loading Matchup Stats...
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Subscribe Now
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Tanner Rainey See More
Closer Encounters: 2024 Relief Market Primer
104 days ago
Which relievers will be on the dealt over the course of the next week, and what are their most likely landing spots?
Collette Calls: The Stretch Run
109 days ago
Remaining strength of schedule could have a big impact on fantasy values in the second half, with Atlanta's friendly run-in giving the team's bats and arms a boost.
Mound Musings: Endgame Odyssey – National League
201 days ago
Brad Johnson examines NL bullpens without clear closers, starting in Washington, where the Nationals currently are relying on Kyle Finnegan to finish games.
Mound Musings: A Look at Pitching in the NL East
229 days ago
Brad Johnson concludes his deep dive into pitching staffs with the National League East, where in Atlanta, Spencer Strider is at the top of his game.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
Rainey endured a brutal 2021 campaign from both a health and performance standpoint. He missed time due to injuries to his collarbone, side and tibia, as well as COVID-19 protocols. He struggled mightily when healthy, posting a 7.62 ERA and 1.81 WHIP across 32 relief appearances before he was optioned to the minors in mid-August. His performance was much better in Triple-A, where he ripped off several scoreless outings in a row before Washington summoned him again in early September. Upon his return, Rainey entered the mix for saves with Kyle Finnegan struggling down the stretch. He logged the first three saves of his career along with a career-high 10 holds despite finishing the season with abhorrent ratios (7.39 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 7.1 BB/9). One positive to come out of 2021 is the experience Rainey gained closing out games, but his continued issues with homers and walks limit his upside.
If you fancy high-risk and high-reward relief pitchers, Rainey is your man. He throws a lively, upper-90s fastball with a biting slider and has used that combination to strike out 33.8% of the hitters he has faced in the majors in just over 75 innings of work. The league has hit .080 off his slider over the past two seasons while it has generated 55 strikeouts for him. The other side of the ledger shows Rainey has also walked 57 batters, hit five more and allowed 14 home runs in that same timeframe. There is also the matter of the sore forearm which prematurely ended his 2020 season. All that said, he enters 2021 as a top candidate to close for the Nationals despite zero career saves with a golden opportunity to significantly improve his fantasy value. There is upside here if were to get the job, but he could also lose it within two weeks due to injury or continued issues with homers and walks.
Armed with a blazing fastball that can hit triple digits and a plus slider that registers plenty of swings-and-misses, Rainey stormed onto the scene with a 34.6 K% in his first season with the Nationals. The gaudy strikeout total was accompanied by a less-impressive 3.91 ERA (4.37 FIP) largely due to the right-hander's struggles with his command. Rainey's 17.8 BB% ranked dead last in the league among pitchers who threw 40 or more innings and wasn't far off from the elevated rates he has surrendered in the minors. Whether Rainey can tame his control issues to a tolerable level could ultimately determine his future role in the big leagues. His fastball-slider combination certainly resembles that of a closer, and last season's .194 xBA emphasizes how dominant Rainey has the potential to be. He isn't ready for a ninth-inning role just yet, but he could be groomed for that responsibility in the near future.
Why would the Nationals trade an established starter in Tanner Roark to the Reds for a guy who allowed 19 runs in his first seven MLB innings? For one thing, Rainey can rush it up there in triple-digit fashion though he needs significant improvement in the control department. Rainey posted an impressive 2.65 ERA and 1.18 WHIP for Triple-A Louisville, fanning 65 in 51 innings, albeit with 35 free passes. Aside from honing control, Rainey needs to develop an offspeed offering. He throws a slider and change, but both are within 10 mph of his heater, making it easier to sit dead red. While Rainey has late-inning potential, he'll first have to earn a spot in the Nationals' restocked bullpen, starting out in low-leverage scenarios. Monitor his walk rate in the spring and early part of the season. If he can exhibit better control, he'll quickly ascend the ladder.
More Fantasy News
Struggling to regain form
PWashington Nationals
April 22, 2024
Rainey has averaged 93.6 mph with his fastball so far in 2024, down significantly from the 97.0 mph he averaged over 30 innings in 2022 prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery that August.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Not worried about velocity
PWashington Nationals
March 1, 2024
Rainey topped out at 92 mph with his fastball while working a scoreless inning of relief during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Avoids arbitration
PWashington Nationals
November 14, 2023
Rainey agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Nationals on Tuesday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Activated from IL
PWashington Nationals
September 29, 2023
The Nationals reinstated Rainey (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Friday.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Not ruled out for 2023 cameo
PWashington Nationals
Elbow
September 18, 2023
Rainey (elbow) could be activated from the 60-day injured list before the end of the regular season, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Focus on slider amid velocity dip
PWashington Nationals
May 7, 2024
Nationals pitching coach Jim Hickey is working with Rainey to use his slider more since his average fastball velocity is down to 93.4 mph, reports Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com.
ANALYSIS
Rainey spent most of last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and his fastball velocity in 2024 is down more than three ticks from his career average. The right-hander has given up 12 earned runs with an 8:11 K:BB over 12 innings this season and appeared to be in danger of losing his roster spot with Robert Garcia returning from the injured list Tuesday; however, the Nationals aren't yet ready to expose Rainey to waivers, as he is out of minor-league options. The 31-year-old may need to turn a corner soon if he's to retain his place in the bullpen much longer.
See All MLB Rumors