3 Biggest Takeaways From Rays ALCS Game 1 Loss to Guardians
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The Tampa Bay Rays entered the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians with a ton of positive momentum after sweeping the New York Yankees in their ALDS matchup.
Hosting Game 1 at Tropicana Field, it looked like it would be more of the same. The Rays scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take an early lead, and Drew Rasmussen was throwing well again.
However, the Guardians weren’t going to go away easily. They scratched and clawed their way back into the game, scoring at least one run in each of the last four innings of the game to pull off a 7-3 comeback.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest takeaways for Tampa Bay from their Game 1 letdown.
Lineup strikeouts
The Rays' approach at the plate is unique. They are looking to put the ball in play, putting pressure on the opponent. In Game 1, that approach wasn’t always there, as Cleveland racked up eight strikeouts.
The Guardians have a pitching staff with a lot of electric arms, and Tampa Bay saw that firsthand in Game 1. Facing another left-handed pitcher in Game 2, it will be interesting to see how manager Kevin Cash sets his lineup for the next contest.
The Rays pitchers actually threw more than Cleveland’s, with 146 pitches compared to 127. They need to get back to their brand of baseball, amping up the pressure.
Junior Caminero, Jonny DeLuca injury scare
During the top of the ninth inning, with the game hanging in the balance, an unsettling scene unfolded. With a pop-up hit into foul territory, third baseman Junior Caminero and left fielder Jonny DeLuca both pursued the ball. Neither caught it, and the play ended in an awkward collision.
It took a few moments for both players to get their bearings. Both stayed in the game, but will be worth keeping an eye on to make sure there are no lingering effects. Losing either of them would be a huge blow to the team.
Rest hinders bullpen
Being the more well-rested team provided Tampa Bay with some advantages heading into the series. They were able to set their pitching staff up in whatever fashion they wanted, but some hiccups occurred with the bullpen.
Against the Yankees, Cash had to use only four relief pitchers in three games: Cam Booser, Ian Seymour, Kevin Kelly and Bryan Baker. The players charged with five earned runs in Game 1 were: Tyler Wells and Cole Sulser, who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 12 and Sept. 26, respectively.
Wells was on the injured list near the end of the season, while Sulser just wasn’t called upon since the regular season ended. Getting back into a rhythm isn’t always easy, and it contributed to the team dropping Game 1.
Guardians aren’t Yankees in style of play
In some ways, this ALCS matchup is tougher for the Rays than the ALDS against New York. Cleveland is a much better defensive team, not giving extra outs to an aggressive Tampa Bay team that takes full advantage.
The Guardians also have a lineup that is heating up at the right time. The Yankees were mostly Ben Rice, and that’s it for the series; that isn’t the case for Cleveland, who received a monster game from Chase DeLauter.
He was one of four players with multiple hits in Game 1. The Guardians recorded 14 in the game; New York had 12 in three games.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.