The Tampa Bay Rays acquired Archer from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Matt Garza, Fernando Perez, Robinson Chirinos, and Sam Fuld in January 2011.
Baseball America ranked Archer as the 27th-best prospect in the game at the beginning of the season.
At Montgomery Biscuits in the Class AA Southern League, Archer posted a 5.85 earned run average through the first half of the season and a 5.00 earned run average by the season’s conclusion while pitching for the team.
His season took a turn for the better in the second half, going 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA. To close the season, Archer made two appearances with the Durham Bulls of the Class AAA International League, surrendering only one run.
He had a combined record of 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA, 130 strikeouts in 147.1 innings, and 18 wild pitches, which topped the Southern League.
In 2012 season, the third-best prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America, was Archer. In 14 games pitched for Durham to begin the 2012 season, Archer had a 4–8 record with a 4.81 ERA.
When Jeremy Hellickson went down with an injury on June 20, he was promoted to the major leagues and took his place in the starting rotation.
Chris Archer became the first non-drafted pitcher to start an MLB game since Matt Garza on September 30, 2010. Archer allowed three hits and three runs (one earned) while striking out seven in six innings in his MLB debut.
How Tall Is Chris Archer?
Chris Archer stands at a height of 1.88 m.