Rays saved Rasmussen for Game 2 against Henderson — smart move or too cute after dropping Game 1?
Milwaukee leads the World Series 1-0 after taking Game 1 3-2 on Friday, and Game 2 is tonight at 8 p.m. ET on FOX from American Family Field. The pitching matchup is Drew Rasmussen for Tampa Bay against Logan Henderson for Milwaukee. Rasmussen was 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA in the regular season and is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA this postseason, allowing 3 runs in 21 innings with 23 strikeouts and 3 walks. Henderson was 11-3 with a 2.47 ERA, but his first two postseason starts ended after five and four innings with six combined strikeouts. The argument for what Kevin Cash did is that saving Rasmussen gives Tampa Bay its clearest pitching edge of the series at an underdog price. The argument against is that you do not get to choose your spots in October — you could have thrown your ace in Game 1 and tried to steal one on the road instead of now needing him just to avoid going down 0-2. Milwaukee is also 5-0 at home this postseason, so the edge has to survive a real home-field advantage. Was holding Rasmussen the right call, and who wins this pitching matchup tonight?
1 answer
- Rasmussen, and it is not close
The numbers settle it for me. Rasmussen is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA this postseason, 3 runs allowed in 21 innings with 23 strikeouts against 3 walks. Henderson is talented, but his first two postseason starts ended after five and four innings with six combined strikeouts, which means Milwaukee is leaning on its bullpen early in a game Tampa Bay needs. Saving your ace for the game you must win is not cute, it is the whole point of having an ace. The only real risk is the 5-0 Milwaukee home record, and even that is a crowd, not a pitcher.