For 2017, the Tampa Bay Rays announced that Pruitt had been added to their Opening Day roster as a relief pitcher. On April 2, 2017, he made his Major League Baseball debut.
An unearned run was credited to him without him recording an out because he walked the bases loaded. Ten earned runs were allowed by Pruitt in his first six innings in the majors, which was a continuation of his poor start.
After allowing three runs the night before, Pruitt was optioned to Durham on May 9th. His replacement, Chih-Wei Hu, would be recalled on May 31, 2014.
As a result of an injury to starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi on July 28, Pruitt was inserted into the Rays’ rotation. Pruitt threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his third career start against his hometown team, the Houston Astros.
Pruitt finished the season with a 5.31 ERA in 83+13 innings of work, including eight starts, for Tampa Bay in 2013. Pruitt was the Rays’ long reliever in 2018, accumulating 69+2/3 innings in 23 appearances.
For the Rays, Pruitt participated in 14 games this year, posting a 4.40 ERA and striking out 39 hitters in 47.0 innings of work.
Cal Stevenson and Peyton Battenfield were traded in exchange for Pruitt by the Rays on January 9, 2020. After suffering a hairline fracture in his right elbow in 2020, Pruitt did not play a single game for the Astros.
He was put on the 60-day disabled list on April 10, 2021, after undergoing right elbow surgery. Pruitt was activated from the injured list on July 16th. The Astros designated Pruitt for assignment on July 28th.
Does Austin Pruitt Have Any Kids?
Austin Pruitt and his wife Danielle have a beautiful baby girl named Addison who is three years old.