Astros Will Be Making a Huge Mistake if They Take the Rays Lightly
By Scott Rogust
The Houston Astros ended the 2019 regular season with the best record in all of baseball. As a reward, Houston was given the right to play the winner of the Wild Card game as the AL's top seed.
On Wednesday night, the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Oakland Athletics 5-1. Normally, facing the Wild Card winner is a viewed as the easiest of all possible paths. The Astros will be mistaken, however, if they are taking the Rays lightly in the ALDS.
Yes, the Astros have the two favorites for the AL Cy Young award on the same team in Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. Yet, the Rays actually rank ahead of Houston in terms of earned runs average (3.65). Not to mention, the Rays have a solid rotation of their own in former Astros World Series champ Charlie Morton, 2018 Cy Young winner Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow.
Kevin Cash said he expects right-hander Tyler Glasnow to start Game 1 of ALDS for Rays at Astros on Friday then lefty Blake Snell in Game 2.
— Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) October 3, 2019
And then there's Tampa's bullpen, which has been downright suffocating throughout the season. Emilio Pagan has been the star of the relief group, as he posted a 2.31 ERA, while striking out 96 batters in 70 innings of work.
Blake Snell-Justin Verlander and Tyler Glasnow-Gerrit Cole could be pretty good ones this weekend, but neither Snell nor Glasnow has gone 70 pitches since being activated from IL. However, the Rays have arguably best bullpen in all of baseball, so they have got that.
— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) October 3, 2019
In fact, the Rays had 11 different relief pitchers record a save on the year.
On top of that, just look at what Tampa did to Oakland in the Wild Card game on the road on the opposite side of the country. After five innings of work, the combination of Pagan, Diego Castillo, and Nick Anderson allowed just three hits in four innings. They were virtually unhittable.
The Rays win the AL wild-card game, 5-1. It didn't feel that close, either.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 3, 2019
Yandy Diaz, who last had a hit in July, banged two home runs.
Charlie Morton was good old reliable.
And the Rays' bullpen. Good lord. Made Oakland disappear.
Next up for the Rays: Justin Verlander.
Houston boasts a stacked batting order, which includes Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, and Yordan Alvarez. If Tampa's pitching in the starting rotation and bullpen can shut them down, the Astros will face their toughest challenge yet.
Expect no sweep in the ALDS, as the Tampa Bay Rays have all the talent and potential to push it all the way to five games.