The Tampa Bay Rays entered the American League Championship Series riding a wave of momentum after sweeping the New York Yankees in the ALDS. For much of Monday night's opener against the Cleveland Guardians, it appeared Tampa Bay would continue its impressive postseason run. Instead, the Rays suffered a stunning late-game collapse, surrendering seven runs over the final four innings in a disappointing 7-3 loss at Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and appeared firmly in control behind ace Drew Rasmussen. However, Cleveland's offense came alive in the sixth inning, eventually tying the game in the seventh before breaking things open against the Rays' bullpen in the eighth and ninth.
The loss was particularly frustrating considering Tampa Bay's remarkable pitching performance against New York, when the Rays allowed just 12 hits across three games. Cleveland nearly matched that total in a single night, collecting 14 hits and handing Tampa Bay its first postseason defeat.
The Guardians now hold a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series, putting pressure on the Rays to respond in Game 2.
Here are four key takeaways from Tampa Bay's disappointing ALCS opener.
1. Kevin Cash's Decision to Leave Drew Rasmussen in the Game Backfires
For six innings, Drew Rasmussen appeared poised to deliver another outstanding postseason performance. The Rays' ace entered Monday's contest having allowed just one run over his previous 27⅔ innings. He was coming off a dominant performance against the Yankees in which he carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning.Although Rasmussen surrendered a solo home run to Cleveland rookie Chase DeLauter in the sixth, Tampa Bay still held a 2-1 lead entering the seventh.
That presented manager Kevin Cash with a critical decision.With two relievers ready in the bullpen and the bottom of Cleveland's batting order approaching, Cash elected to send Rasmussen back to the mound. The decision immediately backfired. On Rasmussen's first pitch of the seventh inning, Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey launched a 436-foot home run to center field, tying the game at two and ending Rasmussen's night. Afterward, Rasmussen explained that Cash had checked on him before the inning.
"Cashy checked in with me and I told him I was good," Rasmussen said. "Unfortunately, it just didn't unfold the way we wanted."
Cash defended his starter, emphasizing how well Rasmussen had pitched throughout the evening.
"I thought he was outstanding. I thought he threw an incredible ballgame," Cash said.
While Rasmussen certainly deserved praise for another strong outing, the decision to bring him back for the seventh deserves scrutiny . With a rested bullpen available and a narrow lead in a championship series, Cash had an opportunity to protect his ace and turn the game over to his relievers. Instead, the tying home run changed the momentum of the contest. It would be unfair to place the entire defeat on Cash's decision, particularly considering what happened afterward. Nevertheless, postseason baseball often comes down to a handful of managerial decisions, and this one proved costly.
2. Tampa Bay's Bullpen Suffers a Complete Meltdown
If Rasmussen's seventh-inning home run opened the door for Cleveland, Tampa Bay's bullpen allowed the Guardians to kick it wide open. The Rays entered the eighth inning tied at two, but the Guardians immediately began applying pressure. José Ramírez opened the inning with an infield single before DeLauter doubled off Tyler Wells, placing runners at second and third. Cash subsequently turned to left-hander Ian Seymour to face former Ray Nathaniel Lowe. Seymour worked ahead in the count 0-2 but couldn't finish the job. Lowe delivered a two-run single that gave Cleveland its first lead of the evening, 4-2.Tampa Bay briefly responded when Cedric Mullins launched a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, trimming the deficit to 4-3 and giving the home crowd renewed hope. Unfortunately, the ninth inning turned into a disaster. Cole Sulser allowed a leadoff single to Angel Martínez before committing a balk that advanced the runner. Ramírez eventually delivered an RBI single, extending Cleveland's lead to 5-3. A wild pitch and a walk created additional trouble before Kevin Kelly entered the game. With Ramírez running from second base, third baseman Junior Caminero moved toward third to cover the bag. Jo Adell then ripped a ground ball through the vacated area, producing a two-run double that effectively put the game out of reach. By the time the inning ended, Cleveland had scored three additional runs and transformed a competitive one-run contest into a comfortable four-run victory.
The contrast with Tampa Bay's ALDS performance was night and day. Against the Yankees, Rays pitchers surrendered just 12 hits in three games. Against Cleveland, they allowed 14 hits in nine innings. The Rays' pitching staff had been one of the biggest reasons for their postseason success, but Monday exposed vulnerabilities that Cleveland will undoubtedly attempt to exploit throughout the series. If Tampa Bay hopes to reach the World Series, its bullpen must rediscover the consistency that helped carry the club through the regular season and the opening round of the playoffs.
3. The Rays Failed to Capitalize on Their Early Offensive Opportunities
One of the most frustrating aspects of Monday's defeat was that Tampa Bay had an opportunity to put the game away before Cleveland's offense ever got going. The Rays jumped on Guardians starter Foster Griffin in the first inning, scoring twice and loading the bases. Yet, Tampa Bay failed to deliver the decisive hit that could have created a much larger early advantage. A sacrifice bunt during the inning also deserves attention. By voluntarily giving away an out while Griffin was struggling, Tampa Bay potentially limited its opportunity to capitalize on Cleveland's early pitching difficulties.
The Guardians eventually escaped the inning without suffering additional damage. That missed opportunity became increasingly significant as the evening progressed. After the first inning, Griffin settled into a rhythm, and Cleveland's bullpen took over for the final five innings, allowing just one run. The Rays managed only Cedric Mullins' eighth-inning solo home run over the final eight innings. That simply isn't enough offensive production against a Cleveland team that has suddenly found its rhythm at the plate. Tampa Bay's inability to add insurance runs left Rasmussen and the bullpen with virtually no margin for error.
This is particularly concerning because Cleveland's pitching staff has been among its greatest strengths throughout the postseason. The Guardians demonstrated their ability to dominate opposing hitters in the ALDS against Chicago, including a remarkable 21-strikeout performance. Against a pitching staff of that caliber, scoring opportunities cannot be wasted. The Rays must find ways to manufacture runs throughout the game rather than relying on early leads and dominant pitching performances to carry them to victory.
4. Cleveland Is Playing Its Best Baseball at the Worst Possible Time for Tampa Bay
Perhaps the most concerning development for the Rays is that Cleveland no longer resembles the offensively challenged team that struggled to produce runs during portions of the regular season. The Guardians have suddenly become one of the hottest teams remaining in the postseason. After losing their first two ALDS games against the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland responded with four consecutive victories, scoring 27 runs during that stretch. Monday's performance demonstrated just how dangerous the Guardians have become. José Ramírez continued his outstanding postseason, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Rookie Chase DeLauter was equally impressive, going 3-for-4 with a walk, a home run and three runs scored.Nathaniel Lowe delivered the decisive two-run single in the eighth inning, while Jo Adell contributed the two-run double that put the game away in the ninth.
For years, Cleveland's offense depended heavily on Ramírez to generate production. Now, with Lowe and Adell joining the lineup and DeLauter emerging as a dangerous offensive weapon, the Guardians possess a much more balanced attack.Theirconfidence is also growing." It feels good to see some balls fall, to see some guys get on the barrel, to see some guys have some great at-bats," Lowe said following the victory.
The Last Word
The Rays entered the ALCS with the American League's best regular-season record and the benefit of home-field advantage. But Cleveland has already demonstrated that it is more than capable of winning at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay must recognize that this series will present a significantly different challenge from its three-game sweep of the Yankees. The Guardians are playing their best baseball of the season, and the Rays will need to match their intensity and execution if they hope to advance.
Monday's loss was undoubtedly disappointing, particularly considering how much control Tampa Bay appeared to have through the first six innings. The Rays entered the postseason with legitimate World Series aspirations after winning the American League East and establishing themselves as one of baseball's most complete teams. One defeat does not erase those accomplishments. However, the manner in which Tampa Bay lost should serve as a warning.
The Rays failed to capitalize on early scoring opportunities, surrendered two costly home runs and watched their bullpen unravel in the final innings. Perhaps most importantly, they surrendered home-field advantage to a Cleveland team that has now won four consecutive postseason games. The good news is that Tampa Bay has an immediate opportunity to respond. Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, with right-hander Freddy Peralta expected to start for the Rays against Cleveland rookie left-hander Parker Messick.
