Nick Martinez will have to wait a little longer for his next turn, and the Rays are choosing to go a different direction for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
After Tuesday’s 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians, longtime manager Kevin Cash said Griffin Jax will get the start in Game 3, according to Marc Topkin of Tampa Bay Times. That pushes Martinez back to Friday for his chance against Cleveland.
It’s a notable call, considering Martinez has been one of Tampa Bay’s most reliable arms. The first-time All-Star logged a 3.10 ERA across 180 innings this season. Jax, meanwhile, put together a 3.53 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 112 1/3 innings.
The decision is a little surprising because both pitchers had abbreviated outings against the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series. Based on that, keeping the same order would have been the easy path. Instead, Cash is handing the ball to the other right-hander.
Martinez’s status adds another layer of intrigue. He left last Wednesday’s ALDS-clinching win over the Yankees after taking a line drive off his back, though at the time it didn’t seem like the exit was injury-related, especially with Ian Seymour already warming in the bullpen. A week later, there’s still no sign that the 36-year-old is dealing with anything serious.
There’s also a clear baseball reason for the switch. Martinez posted a 15.1 strikeout rate this season, while Jax generated far more swing-and-miss. Jax also struck out four batters in Game 3 of the ALDS.
That matters against a Cleveland club that can do damage when it puts the ball in play. The Guardians had nine strikeouts in Game 2, including six against “Fastball” Freddy Peralta.
So for Thursday, the Rays will lean on Jax to match Gavin Williams. Martinez, for now, stays on call for what should be a pivotal Game 4.
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