Monday night gave the Rays plenty to stew on, but there was no room for that after dropping Game 1 of the ALCS. Game 2 came fast, and Tampa Bay answered with a 3-1 win over the Guardians to even things up and send the series to Cleveland.
Freddy Peralta handled the assignment exactly the way the Rays had hoped when they traded for him: on the mound and in control. “Fastball Freddy” leaned on his four-seamer for 72% of his pitches, generated 10 whiffs with it, and added five more across his breaking ball and offspeed stuff. He kept the heater up and in often enough to make the Cleveland lineup work from an uncomfortable spot all night.
Cleveland’s starter, Plant City native Parker Messick, looked the part early. The rookie, who is expected to be an AL Rookie of the Year finalist, had the Rays off balance and appeared headed for a classic tight postseason game that would be decided late by the bullpens.
Then came the fourth inning, and the game flipped on a mistake.
With runners on second and third and two outs, Ben Williamson sent a routine ground ball to Jose Ramirez, but the ball went through his legs and into left field, letting Tampa Bay grab the lead. Liam Hicks followed immediately with a single to center that brought home two more runs.
It was a brutal turn for Messick in his first ALCS start, and a rough one for the local kid. Four years ago, I watched Messick go up against DeLauter in a college game.
It was opening night between Florida State and James Madison at Dick Howser Stadium, and even then it was obvious both were serious big league prospects. I just wish I had known that one day they would be two impact players standing in between the Rays and an American League pennant.
Cleveland finally got on the board in the seventh. Chase DeLauter doubled off Ian Seymour to cut the deficit to 3-1, but Seymour answered by striking out Jo Adell and leaving two runners stranded in scoring position.
From there, the Rays handed it to the back end. Baker came on in the ninth and locked down his fourth save of the postseason, setting a new franchise record. The man is addicted to shutting the door.
Now the ALCS shifts to Cleveland for the next three games, all of which are guaranteed after Tampa Bay’s win. Game 3 is Thursday at 8:00, and no starter has been announced yet, though Nick Martinez has not been used in this series and started Game 3 of the ALDS.
In Other News...
Rays Survive A Playoff Scare With Two Key Youngsters
The Rays got a tense moment out of the way early in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series when Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca crashed into each other while going after a foul ball. Both stayed in the game, which mattered more than anything in the moment, and manager Kevin Cash said the collision came from effort in a loud postseason environment. It was the kind of play that briefly quiets a dugout before everyone checks on the two young players involved.
Caminero was said to be feeling overall good after taking the hit, while DeLuca came out with some bumps on his left side. For a Tampa Bay team leaning on young talent in October, the scare served as a reminder of how quickly a routine hustle play can turn into a concern, especially in a playoff setting where every out and every ball in play seems to carry extra weight. For now, the Rays can at least breathe knowing neither player was forced out, even if there was a little more drama than anyone wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Fans Should Watch What Tampa Bay Does With A Former Arm
The Rays and Brewers have both built a reputation for knowing when to cash in on a player before the market gets away from them, and that makes Tampa Bays handling of Drew Rasmussen worth keeping an eye on. The right-hander has grown into one of the clubs most valuable arms, putting together a run that has included back-to-back All-Star selections and steady production at the top of the rotation.
Rasmussen also comes with the kind of contractual control that can keep a team patient, which is why any real trade conversation would likely start with a hefty price. Still, when a pitcher with his track record begins to surface in outside speculation, it says plenty about how much interest there could be if the Rays ever decide to listen. For Milwaukee fans, it is another reminder that Tampa Bay tends to stay several steps ahead of the rest of the league. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Trade Is Looking Worse As Other Teams Cash In
A three-team deal that once looked like a clean swap of change-of-scenery candidates is aging very differently for the Rays. Tampa Bay landed Gavin Lux from the Dodgers, with Josh Lowe going to the Angels and Brock Burke heading to the Reds, and the early returns have made the transaction harder to grade than it seemed at the time.
Burke has been a real gain for Cincinnati, working his way into a heavy workload and turning in a 2.30 ERA while leading the National League in appearances. The Rays, meanwhile, never got a chance to see what Lux might have added because of a shoulder injury and a string of setbacks, and with his contract now headed toward free agency, the long-term value of Tampa Bays side of the deal is still very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]