MLB
Rays Face Game 5 Pitching Puzzle After Using Seven Arms in Game 4
Tampa Bay survived Game 4 with seven pitchers, leaving Kevin Cash to assemble another elimination-game plan against Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski.
The Tampa Bay Rays kept their World Series hopes alive by using seven pitchers in a 4–3, 12-inning victory Tuesday. Their reward is another elimination game Wednesday, with manager Kevin Cash needing to build a pitching plan after several possible starting options worked in relief.
The Rays trail Milwaukee 3–1 entering Game 5 at Tropicana Field. Cash did not announce a starter immediately after the win, according to MLB.com’s report on the pitching situation. Milwaukee is preparing to start Jacob Misiorowski, while Tampa Bay must balance survival against the workload used to reach this point.
Nick Martinez, who started Game 1 and had been a candidate for Game 5, delivered two scoreless relief innings Tuesday. Bryan Baker followed with two more, his first six-out appearance since July 2024. Ian Seymour and Cam Booser also handled important late assignments as the game extended beyond nine innings.
MLB’s separate bullpen account credited the Rays’ relievers with eight innings of one-run ball after Griffin Jax’s start. Their only late run allowed was Cooper Pratt’s solo homer in the 12th, which briefly put Milwaukee three outs from the championship.
Tampa Bay’s comeback changed the result without resetting those workloads. Baker threw 21 pitches across his two innings, while Martinez’s outing removed the straightforward option of treating him as a fully rested starter the following night.
The broader rotation picture is also compressed. Drew Rasmussen pitched Game 2 on Saturday and Freddy Peralta started Game 3 on Monday. Jax, Martinez and Seymour all appeared in Game 4, meaning the Rays had used their principal starting options during a short span.
Cash still has alternatives within his staff, but the final choice depends on recovery and the innings each pitcher can reasonably provide. A declared willingness to pitch again is useful information for the manager, rather than a guarantee about the order or length of the next appearances.
If Tampa Bay wins, Thursday’s off-day would provide a recovery opportunity before Game 6 in Milwaukee. First, however, the Rays have to cover another game against a Brewers lineup still one victory from a title. The immediate problem is both tactical and physical: find enough effective innings to keep the season going.
