Rays Select Nick Martinez to Start World Series Game 1 Against Brewers

Manager Kevin Cash announced Nick Martinez will start Game 1 of the World Series against Milwaukee fireballer Jacob Misiorowski.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash announced Thursday that Nick Martinez will start Game 1 of the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The 36-year-old right-hander, who signed a one-year, $13 million contract before spring training, will face Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski. Martinez earned the nod over staff ace Drew Rasmussen, who recently threw 21 postseason innings with three runs allowed across three starts. Cash cited Rasmussen’s heavy workload, including a Game 5 start against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, as the reason for providing him an additional day of rest.

Martinez enters the series following an ALCS Game 4 performance where he limited the Guardians to one run on two hits over 5⅓ innings. During the regular season, the first-time All-Star posted a 3.10 ERA across a career-high 180 innings. His road performance included a 2.38 ERA in 94⅔ innings. In a late March start at American Family Field, Martinez held the Brewers to two runs in six innings of work.

While Rasmussen has pitched at least six innings in every playoff start this year, Martinez had never started a postseason game prior to this season. The Rays finished the regular season with the best record in the American League, while the Brewers secured the top mark in the National League. Game 1 follows a Wednesday team dinner at a Milwaukee steakhouse organized by Martinez, who has arranged similar meals in every road city this year.