Kevin Cash at center of another controversial World Series move

From a big-picture perspective, it’s actually onerous to seek out a lot fault with Tampa Bay Rays supervisor Kevin Money. 

The group has been wildly profitable throughout his tenure, and 2026 was the second time he led his group to the American League pennant. 

However in each of these World Collection appearances, he has been in command of some key pitching choices which have left him open to criticism. 

It performed out that manner once more earlier than and through their Recreation 5, 4-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night time.

Tampa Bay Rays’ dealing with of Drew Rasmussen leaves them open to criticism

The Rays made the decision to start their ace and greatest starter, Drew Rasmussen, for Recreation 5 on Wednesday night time, and on the floor that looks like the good and wise factor to do when your season is on the road. 

He is the man you need on the mound within the greatest second. 

The issue is the Rays needed to pull him after simply 4 innings and solely 48 pitches as a result of he was engaged on simply three days’ relaxation. On the time of Rasmussen’s exit on Wednesday, he allowed simply two hits, just one run, and had struck out 4 batters. He regarded greater than able to going longer and giving his group an opportunity.

As quickly as he was pulled within the prime of the fifth inning, the Rays bullpen instantly began to implode and allowed three consecutive hits to the underside of the Milwaukee lineup, and one run, earlier than permitting two extra runs within the prime of the sixth inning.

At that time it was a 4-0 sport, and for all intents and functions, it was most likely over. In addition to the World Collection. 

So why did the Rays need to take away Rasmussen so early? 

It is as a result of he was solely occurring three days’ relaxation, having began Recreation 2 of the collection, as an alternative of Recreation 1. 

And that’s actually the place the entire scenario began for the Rays.

The choice to begin Nick Martinez within the opening sport of the World Collection as an alternative of Rasmussen appeared just a little curious on the time, and in hindsight it appears to have been just a little damaging. The thought in beginning Martinez was in order that they may give Rasmussen an additional day of relaxation after a heavy workload by way of the primary a part of the playoffs. Whereas that could be a wise argument, even when he had began Recreation 1, he would have nonetheless been occurring his regular day’s relaxation. The Rays ended up throwing the entire relaxation factor out the window on Wednesday by asking him to come back again on three days for a really restricted begin.

If they’d not overthought it in Recreation 1, they might have had a possibility for Rasmussen to pitch deeper into Wednesday’s sport and possibly give them a greater probability.

Wouldn’t it have made a distinction? Possibly not. They solely scored one run, and it didn’t come till the underside of the ninth inning. However it’s a what-if query that may now be requested for a lot of the winter. 

It’s particularly robust for Money as a result of the earlier time his group was within the World Collection again in 2020, he was concerned within the resolution to tug starter Blake Snell in one other elimination sport when he was cruising by way of the sport. The bullpen instantly fell aside upon coming into the sport, ensuing within the Rays shedding the World Collection. It isn’t precisely an apples-to-apples comparability to this case, however it’s nonetheless one thing that’s going to face out given the stage, the circumstances and the outcomes.