World Series Opens Friday; Rays Shuffle Rotation: Martinez Starts Game 1 as Ace Rasmussen Gets an Extra Day
TAMPA, Florida — Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash, in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, announced in Milwaukee on Thursday, October 22 that 36-year-old veteran right-hander Nick Martinez will start Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, October 23 against Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, rather than team ace Drew Rasmussen, who could have pitched on normal rest. Cash explained the club preferred to give Rasmussen an extra day of rest: he threw 7 innings in ALCS Game 5, and over three postseason starts has allowed only 3 runs in 21 innings, a 1.29 ERA with 23 strikeouts. Under the current plan, Rasmussen starts Game 2 and former Brewer Freddy Peralta starts Game 3, back at Tropicana Field. Martinez joined the Rays in February on a one-year deal, threw a team-high 180 innings in the regular season with a 3.10 ERA, and started ALCS Game 4, allowing 1 run on 2 hits over 5⅓ innings. 'When Nick pitches, we win,' Cash said. Both clubs are chasing their first World Series championship; the Rays will host official watch parties at Tropicana Field for the first two road games, with tickets starting at $10.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Tampa 市区天际线。图片：Alvesgaspar，CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Tampa skyline. Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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