Tampa Bay Rays' Chris Archer Could Become Best Right-Hander in AL

Chris Archer made his first All-Star appearance at the 2015 MLB All-Star Game. It likely won’t be his last appearance in the Midsummer Classic.

Archer has an electric arm with outstanding command and “stuff”, making him very hard to hit. Even on Friday night, when he didn’t have his best, Archer showed the ability to dominate an opponent. As his Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 8-4, Archer pitched just five innings, but showed his dominant ability. He gave up five hits and walked two while striking out eight batters as he earned a no-decision in the game.

Despite his 12-11 record, Archer has made his mark in the American League this season. He is second to Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox in strikeouts with 236. He is fifth in the league in ERA with a mark of 2.88. And his 1.05 WHIP is fifth in the American League this season.

The Rays have not been in contention this season, but they have a talented young team that could be contenders in the future. They will be looking to Archer to be the No. 1 starter as they look for better fortunes in 2016.

Archer is still just 26 years old, so if his body holds up, he has plenty of good years ahead of him. Once he learns to command all of his pitches and to become more consistent in his starts, he could become the most dominant right-handed pitcher in the American League. And that’s what the Rays are hoping for as they look to the future.

Tim Letcher is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.