Nick Martinez will start Game 1 of the World Series for Tampa Bay on Friday, as the Rays adjust their rotation to give Drew Rasmussen more rest.
The 36-year-old right-hander faces Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski at American Family Field, with Tampa Bay prioritizing its starters’ workloads while pursuing the first championship in franchise history .
USA TODAY reported that Kevin Cash announced the decision Thursday despite Rasmussen being available on regular rest. The manager emphasized preserving Rasmussen’s capacity after a demanding workload.
Rasmussen has allowed three runs across 21 innings in three playoff starts, striking out 23 and walking three. Tampa Bay has won all three outings.
Moving him to Game 2 provides an extra recovery day after his ALCS appearance against Cleveland on Sunday. Freddy Peralta is lined up for Game 3 at Tropicana Field.
The decision changes the order, rather than removing a dependable option. Martinez finished the regular season with a 3.10 ERA across a career-high 180 innings.
Friday’s Roundtable Sports preview, carried by Yahoo Sports, highlighted his 2.38 ERA in 16 road starts. That record offers relevant context for the opener in Milwaukee.
Martinez has already pitched well at American Family Field this year. In a March 30 victory, he held the Brewers to two runs over six innings .
His most recent playoff start offered encouragement. Martinez allowed one run on two hits over 5⅓ innings in ALCS Game 4, helping Tampa Bay level that series.
Cash’s choice therefore asks a contributor to handle the opener while preserving recovery time elsewhere. It does not require Martinez to prove himself through an unfamiliar starting role.
The contrast with Misiorowski is clear. Milwaukee’s right-hander finished the regular season with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts, giving the Brewers a formidable opening assignment.
Martinez offers a different approach. USA TODAY described a changeup that creates deception alongside a fastball in the low 90s, rather than the velocity of Milwaukee’s starter.
The challenge is generating outs efficiently against a lineup that has worn down strong pitching. Milwaukee swept the Dodgers after repeatedly responding to early deficits in the NLCS.
Sportsnet reported that Tampa Bay’s starters owned a 1.98 postseason ERA entering the series. Keeping that group effective remains central to the Rays’ chances over seven games.
The same report identified a gap between Tampa Bay’s most trusted arms and the rest of its staff. That makes productive starting innings valuable before bullpen decisions become necessary.
Rasmussen and Peralta have earned their places in this rotation. Giving them more time between outings is a choice about the entire series, not merely Friday.
Martinez’s task remains immediate: keep Milwaukee’s hitters from forcing an early turn to the bullpen. Any benefit from the rotation plan still depends on executing Friday’s assignment.
Milwaukee won 103 regular-season games, while Tampa Bay won 98. Neither club has claimed a World Series title, ensuring this matchup will produce a first-time champion.
Game 1 starts at 8 p.m. ET Friday. The opening two games are in Milwaukee, before the series moves to Tampa Bay for three scheduled contests.
The Rays are trusting Martinez to begin that pursuit while saving other leading starters for subsequent games. Friday provides the first test of that sequencing.
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