Tampa Bay bypasses ace Drew Rasmussen, setting up Martinez against Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski on Friday in Milwaukee.
The Rays are opening the World Series with a bit of a surprise, turning to Nick Martinez instead of staff ace Drew Rasmussen for Game 1 against the Brewers on Friday in Milwaukee. The move gives both Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta extra rest, with Rasmussen lined up for five days off if he starts Game 2, and Peralta set for six days of rest after a heavy workload in the American League Division Series that included two starts and a relief outing.
Martinez will face off against Brewers rookie flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski to kick off the series. His track record against this particular Brewers lineup is mixed at best. Martinez faced Milwaukee once this season and gave up four hits, including a double and a home run. More concerning for Tampa Bay, the Brewers' 13 position players expected to be on the World Series roster have hit a combined 30-for-122 with a .737 OPS against Martinez, making him the Rays starter that group has had the most success against among the top three options.
The decision signals the Rays are prioritizing long-term rotation health over matching up their best arm in the opener.