See more of our coverage in your search results.
The Rays began this 2026 World Series with a curveball.
The AL champs opted to push ace Drew Rasmussen back one day to get him extra rest, opting instead to start Nick Martinez in Game 1.
The gambit did not pay off Friday, with the Rays losing 3-2 in Milwaukee.
Ramussen will now be starting Game 2 on five days of rest against Brewers righty Logan Henderson, who is making his third postseason start.
The Brewers are -118 ome favorites at FanDuel on Saturday.
Rays vs. Brewers prediction
Rasmussen was overshadowed a bit over the course of the regular season.
At one point in the middle of the season, he was in the mix with Cam Schlittler and Dylan Cease for the American League Cy Young odds before it became a two-man race.
By the time the odds closed, he was 100/1 to win it, but that number doesn’t reflect just how great he pitched over the full season.
The Rays ace has been lights out going back to September.
Rasmussen has allowed just six earned runs over his last 46 ⅔ innings pitched, including three earned runs over his playoff-high 21 innings in his three October starts.
More importantly, he’s been able to pitch deep into games without trouble in the playoffs.
Learn all you need to know about MLB Betting
- Read about the Best Baseball Betting Sites
- Learn all about How to Bet on Baseball
He hasn’t allowed a run through five innings of any of his playoff starts and made it through the seventh twice.
The Brewers will be a totally different beast compared to the Yankees and Guardians, but Rasmussen is on another level right now. It certainly doesn’t hurt that he started his career with the Brewers and has some familiarity with pitching there.
I’m riding the hot hand in Game 2 and expect him to keep the Brewers’ bats at bay for as long as he can.
The Play: Drew Rasmussen Over 16.5 recorded outs (-144, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.