The Tampa Bay Rays are skipping their best pitcher for the start of the World Series. Instead of using ace Drew Rasmussen, manager Kevin Cash will start Nick Martinez in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
This choice might feel like a mistake if you only look at the names on the roster. However, the Rays are playing the long game to protect their best arm. Moving the starter around is a smart way to keep the rotation fresh for the long fight ahead.
Managing the Heavy Workload
The decision comes down to how much work Rasmussen has already done this October. According to ESPN, the Rays want to give the right-hander an extra day of rest. On Sunday, Rasmussen appeared in the American League Championship Series Game 5 versus the Cleveland Guardians. He has been a workhorse for the team lately. Per ESPN, Rasmussen has thrown at least six innings in every playoff start he has made this year. He has given up three runs across 21 total innings.
Cash explained the reasoning for the change on Thursday. “He’s had a pretty thick workload here,” Cash said. He also noted that the team has relied on him heavily and wants to get the “full-pitch allotment” out of him when he does pitch. It is a tough call to make, but you cannot burn out your best player before the biggest game of the year.
The Rise of Nick Martinez
Nick Martinez is not a typical underdog in this matchup. He is 36 years old and is having a massive year after signing a one-year, $13 million deal with the Rays before spring training. While his start in the Grapefruit League was not great, he turned things around in his first full season as a starter. He finished the regular season with a 3.10 ERA and threw a career-high 180 innings. He even earned his first All-Star selection this year.
Martinez is coming off a strong performance in the ALCS. He held the Guardians to just two hits and one run over 5⅓ innings in Game 4. He will now face the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski on five days of rest. Martinez knows what is coming. “They’re a team that doesn’t take any pitches off,” Martinez said. He added, “They’re always fighting every pitch. They never give up. It’s going to be a dogfight.”
A Battle of Low Payrolls
This World Series is a rare matchup between two teams that win without massive spending. The Brewers finished the season with 103 wins, but they ranked 19th in payroll. The Rays are even lower at 28th in payroll. Both teams are fighting to win their first-ever World Series title. The Brewers are playing in their 57th season in Milwaukee and are looking to end a very long drought.
The talent on the field is still elite. The Brewers have a young, hard-throwing bullpen and a potential Cy Young winner in Misiorzekowski. The Rays have strong arms like closer Bryan Baker and power hitters like Junior Caminero. When the series begins on Friday, Oct. 23, it will be a battle of efficiency and grit rather than just big names and big checks.