ARLINGTON – The Rangers spent all spring trying to find a fifth pitcher for their starting rotation.

Will they have to start all over?

In a 12-9 win that evened the team's record after eight games, the Rangers clubbed Tampa Bay's not-so-famed Jae & Jae pitching combo – Jae So and Jae Kuk Ryu – but couldn't get their own starter through three innings Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Jamey Wright, who won the fifth starter's job over Kameron Loe and Bruce Chen, was spotted a 3-0 lead after two innings and didn't get through the third.

Wright, who complained of some "arm fatigue" after his tune-up outing with Double-A Frisco on Thursday, was raked in the third inning. While the jet stream was in full force Tuesday, it had little impact on Wright. The Devil Rays batters hit him that hard. Wright said he had no physical issues Tuesday.

"I have no excuses," Wright said. "I have to do a better job out there the next time, whenever that is."

Wright started the inning by allowing consecutive doubles and a triple to the bottom three hitters in the Tampa Bay lineup. He walked Carl Crawford, who was promptly caught stealing for the second time in the first three innings and got a hard lineout to short. He then hit Rocco Baldelli before allowing a home run to Ty Wigginton. After Delmon Young followed with a single to give the Devil Rays the cycle in the inning, Rangers manager Ron Washington went to reliever Scott Feldman.

Wright had already thrown 59 pitches in 2 2/3 innings, only 32 of them for strikes.

"We had a three-run lead, and before I could blink, it was 5-3," Washington said. "I was just trying to keep the game in check. The guys had fought hard early in the game, and [Tampa Bay] wasn't hitting the ball soft. I felt like it was important to stop things right there."

Though the Rangers scored seven runs in the bottom of the inning to take a fairly comfortable lead, the question still begged to be asked: Could Wright lose the fifth spot after just one outing?

Washington doesn't need the fifth spot again until April 21, but he was non-committal about who would make that start against Oakland.

"We really haven't determined it yet," said Washington. "We'll make sure Jamey gets checked out by the trainers and make sure everything is OK, and we'll go from there."

The Rangers find themselves in a slightly ticklish position very early. They will have to make room on the roster for closer Eric Gagne on Friday. That likely forces the Rangers to make a decision between Wright and Chen, who pitched two innings of relief Tuesday. Chen allowed three runs, but none of them were earned. Chen, a starter for most of his career, has not allowed an earned run in four innings this season.

The pitcher the Rangers take off the roster to make room for Gagne would have to be exposed to waivers. That could mean losing the pitcher for good. Wright's arm fatigue, combined with a poor first outing, could make that decision a lot more difficult for the Rangers.