Rays Name Drew Rasmussen to Start World Series Game 5

Drew Rasmussen will start World Series Game Five for the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday at Tropicana Field, returning on three days of rest with his team facing elimination. Milwaukee leads the series three games to one and will counter with Jacob Misiorowski as it pursues its first championship.

The Rays announced the decision Wednesday afternoon in the official league report. Rasmussen last pitched Saturday in Game Two, when he threw eighty nine pitches and allowed three runs on six hits over three and two thirds innings. His expected workload Wednesday was not immediately announced.

The assignment updates the uncertainty after Game Four, when manager Kevin Cash had not named a starter. Tampa Bay had used seven pitchers to survive Tuesday, making recovery and available innings central to the next decision.

The Rays won that game four to three in twelve innings. Ben Williamson delivered the decisive single after Jonny DeLuca tied the score, extending a series that Milwaukee had been three outs from completing.

Nick Martinez, who started Game One and had been a possible option Wednesday, supplied two scoreless relief innings Tuesday. Bryan Baker also worked two innings. The Rays bullpen collectively provided eight innings while allowing one run after Griffin Jax started.

Rasmussen moves ahead of the longer recovery schedule Tampa Bay had previously planned. Freddy Peralta pitched Monday, while Jax, Martinez and Ian Seymour appeared Tuesday, leaving no fully rested starter for another elimination game.

Milwaukee protected Misiorowski from relief work Tuesday. He allowed one run across five innings in the series opener and now receives another opportunity to secure the deciding victory.

Game Five begins at eight in the evening Eastern Time. A Tampa Bay win would send the series back to Milwaukee after Thursday off. In Edmonton, first pitch is scheduled for six tonight.