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Rays Have Yankees on Brink, and Their Bullpen Is Still Almost Completely Fresh
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- Rays Have Yankees on Brink, and Their Bullpen Is Still Almost Completely Fresh
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Tampa Bay Rays couldn't have asked for a much better start to the American League Division Series.
They also couldn't have asked for a much better situation for their bullpen.
Tampa Bay leads the New York Yankees 2-0 in the best-of-five series, and somehow Kevin Cash still hasn't needed to use several of his most important relievers.
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That could become a huge advantage heading into Game 3.
Drew Rasmussen made things pretty easy in Game 1 when he went eight innings, allowing only one hit and striking out 10.
Bryan Baker handled the ninth, and that's exactly what you want to happen.
Game 2 required a little more work, but not much. Freddy Peralta went 4.2 innings before Cam Booser finished the fifth. Ian Seymour then took over and gave the Rays three innings, allowing only a solo home run to Ben Rice while striking out four.
Baker needed only eight pitches to finish the 5-2 victory.
Now look at who Tampa Bay hasn't needed.
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Tyler Wells, Garrett Cleavinger and Kevin Kelly haven't pitched.
Those are three pitchers who entered this series expected to have important roles in the bullpen, and the Rays haven't needed any of them through the first two games.
That's how good the pitching has been.
Seymour deserves a lot of credit for making it possible.
We spent a lot of time late in the regular season wondering exactly how the Rays would use him in October.
I think we're starting to get our answer.
Seymour gives Cash someone who can enter behind a starter and take over multiple innings. He also gives Tampa Bay another left-handed option against a Yankees lineup that has plenty of left-handed hitters.
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That becomes especially interesting Wednesday.
Nick Martinez will start Game 3 with an opportunity to send Tampa Bay to the ALCS.
If Martinez gives the Rays length, Cash has a nearly untouched bullpen behind him.
If he doesn't, Griffin Jax could potentially provide multiple innings while Wells, Cleavinger, Kelly, Booser and Baker give Cash plenty of options after that.
Seymour will probably be the one pitcher who isn't completely fresh after throwing three innings Monday.
That's a pretty good trade.
The Rays are one victory away from eliminating the Yankees.
And somehow, they haven't even needed to use everything they brought with them.
