The Cleveland Guardians have played their best baseball when their backs have been against the wall.
After two disappointing losses in Cleveland, they head down to Tampa Bay with their backs against the wall. They have to win two games at Tropicana Field to earn the American League Pennant. The test gets even harder as their ace, Gavin Williams, will not pitch, and the bullpen pitched seven innings in Game 5.
Stephen Vogt needs to pull every managerial trick available in order to force a Game 7, in which Williams would be on full rest. After five games, both teams are very familiar with one another and the Rays have been getting comfortable with the Guardians’ pitching approach. The biggest key to a Game 6 starts with getting a pitcher to eat innings, but there are not many options.
Vogt is using Shawn Armstrong to start Game 6 as an opener and the Rays will counter that by moving a left-handed hitter into the three-spot. Armstrong also pitched in the past two games and gave up no runs. Joey Cantillo threw 15 pitches on Saturday and could be an option to attempt to get through three or four innings after Armstrong. However, the Rays’ best hitters are right-handed, and they have pounded left-handed pitching.
The Guardians do have a player on the ALCS roster who has not pitched all series and is well rested. Tanner Bibee may be a Hail Mary attempt for Vogt to get a win and not exhaust the bullpen ahead of a Game 7. He has struggled this season and did not get out of his lone inning against the Chicago White Sox.
The Rays’ top three hitters are all batting over .300 in their careers against Bibee. He has taken up a roster spot and has not appeared in the series. Bibee was the opening day starter and has started playoff games in the past. It seems his confidence has been shot this season, but he is an emotional pitcher and if he can get through an inning, then he can start to build momentum.
The pitching problems do not stop there. Vogt also has to manage the bullpen that had to pitch Cade Smith in a two-run loss yesterday. The rainout on Friday night forced the teams to play four straight games and the bullpen was used heavily in the two home losses. They will also be used heavily in Games 6 and 7.
The pitching side is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Vogt’s tough decisions. The lineup went cold in Cleveland, and he may have to consider a change in the lineup. Travis Bazzana and Brayan Rocchio have not hit in the series. Bazzana has also been a liability at second base. Rookie Angel Genao is on the bench and may provide a spark, as the Rays’ pitching has not faced him.
Genao is also solid in the field and was a defensive replacement for Bazzana in Game 3. After a horrendous series against the White Sox, Angel Martinez seems to have gathered his composure. He has pinch-hit in the past two games and gotten one hit. While Petey Halpin’s home run in Game 3 was crucial to their win, Martinez provides more of a chance for power.
The Guardians will need to hit for power to have any path to winning. The Rays’ corner outfielders and middle infielders are too talented to take extra bases and manufacture runs.
The Rays bullpen is rested after a lengthy start in Game 5, and their offense came alive. All the odds are against the Guardians in Game 6, but Vogt has gotten his team to fight back each time they have been cornered. Tonight’s test will be his hardest yet, and he will have to find some answers.
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