Rays manager Kevin Cash said Archer would likely piggyback starter Michael Wacha in Friday's game against the Tigers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Both Wacha and Archer are viewed as back-end options in the Tampa Bay rotation, and Cash feels that both could deliver better results while handling lighter workloads as part of a tandem. The Rays will likely wait and see how the arrangement fares Friday before determining whether to proceed with the piggyback arrangement moving forward, but the setup would seem to favor Archer more than Wacha. Even if Wacha works longer of the two pitchers Friday, Archer would be better positioned to factor into any decision.